5733 


NOTICE 

TO 

THE  EIGHTH  EDITION, 


In  this  Eighth  Edition  I  have  made  soma 
alterations,  chiefly  as  regards  arrangement ;  but 
I  find,  that  less  or  more  of  a  desultory  character 
must  necessarily  attach  itself  to  a  brochure,  in- 
tended merely  as  a  vehicle  of  Practical  Observa- 
tions. The  reader  will  see  that  I  have  found 
myself  called  upon  to  make  some  allusion  to  the 
recent  attempts  at  that  fatal  operation — excision 
of  the  tongue. 

The  object  of  the  Author  will  be  attained,  if 
his  Observations  have  any  appreciable  tendency 
in  arresting  the  progress  of  excessive  Smoking, 
by  drawing  the  attention  of  the  Public  to  so  im- 
portant a  subject.  It  is  difficult  to  estimate, 
either  the  pernicious  consequences  produced  by 
habitual  Smoking,  or  the  number  of  its  victims 
among  all  classes,  old  and  young.  The  enormous 
consumption  of  Tobacco  can  be  ascertained  from 


X  NOTICE    TO    THE    EIGHTH    EDITION 

yearly  returns  made  by  the  Government  Custom- 
House ;  but  its  physical,  moral,  and  mental  dete- 
riorations, admit  of  no  such  tangible  analysis. 
These,  although  certain,  are  slow  and  impercep- 
tible in  their  development,  and  it  is  therefore 
impossible  to  ascertain  the  extent  of  the  injury 
which  the  poisonous  weed  inflicts  upon  the  public 
health,  or  the  alteration  it  must  necessarily  effect 
upon  the  character  of  its  inhabitants.     The  con- 
sumption of  Tobacco  is   stated  to  be,  in  1853, 
29,737,561  pounds,  thus  showing  an  allowance  of 
considerably  more  than  a  pound,  on  an  average, 
to  every  man,  woman,  and  child,  in  the  United 
Kingdom  of  Great  Britain   and  Ireland.      The 
prevalence  of  Smoking  has  been  of  late  greatly 
on  the  increase,  .and  the  use  of  the  narcotic  com- 
mences with   the  young  from   mere   childhood. 
Such  a  habit   cannot   be   more   lamented   thaji 
reprobated.     The  injury  done  to  the  constitution 
of  the  young  may  not  immediately  appear,  but 
cannot  fail  ultimately  to  become  a  great  national 
calamity. 

JCHN  LiZARS. 
Edinburgh, 
South  Chablottis  Street,  1869. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

OENERAL  CHARACTERISTICS    OF   TOBACCO. 

Hie  Introduction  of  Tobacco  into  Europe — TBe  question  of  its  inten* 
tion  for  the  Use  of  Man  discussed — The  Botany  and  Chemistry 
of  Tobacco  considered — Physiological  Effect — M.  Fi6v6,    13-22 

CHAPTER  11. 

PRACTICAL   OBSERVATIONS    ON   THE   USE   AND   ABUSE   OF   TOBACCO. 

Contagion  from  Cigar-smoking  —  Syphilis  propagated  by  smoking 
tobacco — Condition  of  Paris — Effect  on  a  Fever  Patient — Local 
Effects  on  the  Mouth  —  Ulceration  of  the  Lips,  Tongue,  Gums, 
Mucous  membrane  of  the  Mouth,  Tonsils,  Velum  Palati,  Pha- 
rynx—  Constitutional  Effects  enumerated  —  Dyspepsia  from  uso 
of  Tobacco — Diarrhoea — Effects  in  Cholera — Disease  of  Liver- 
Congestion  of  Brain  —  Apoplexy  —  Palsy  —  Mania  —  Loss  of 
Memory — Amaurosis — Deafness  —  Nervousness — Emasculation 
—Cowardice — General  Effects — Quotations  from  various  Authors, 
and  narrations  of  peculiar  cases  of  poisoning  by  tobacco,  23-62 

CHAPTER  in. 

•  COMMUNICATIONS    AND   EXTRACTS. 

• 

Opinions  of  Dr.  Prout,  Boussiron,  Dr.  Pereira,  Orfila,  Sir  Benjamin 
Brodie,  Dr.  Cleland,  Dr.  Johnston,  King  James  L,  Rev.  Dr. 
Adam  Clarke,  Mr.  Solly,  Df.  Wm.  Henderson,  Mr,  Fenn,  Dr. 
Tod,  Mr.  Anton,  Mr.  O'Flaherty,  Dr.  M'Cosh,  Camden,  Mr. 
Erichsen,  Darwin,  <fec. — Cases  reported  in  the  Lancet,  the  Half- 
Yearly  Abstract  of  Medical  Sciences,  Dictionnaire  des  Sciences 
Medicales,  in  the  Account  of  Hospitals  for  the  Insane  in  the 
United  States,  and  in  the  Report  of  the  Penna.  Hospital  for  the 
Insane — Communications  from  numerous  Scientific  men  in  illus- 
tration of  the  evil  effects  of  Tobacco 53-138 


(xi) 


THE 

USE    AND    ABUSE 

OP 

TOBACCO. 


CHAPTER  I. 

GENERAL  CHARACTERISTICS   OP  TOBACCO. 

1.  It  is  generally  agreed  tliat  the  use  of  tobacco  in 
Europe,  as  a  means  of  inebriation,  originated  in  the 
introduction  of  the  leaves  of  the  plant  into  Spain  from 
America.  There  is  every  reason  to  suppose  that  the 
plant  previously  existed  in  Asia,  if  not  from  the  earliest 
times,  though  we  have  no  very  reliable  authority  for  its 
having  been  used,  at  least  to  any  great  extent,  for  any 
of  the  purposes  to  which  we  have  devoted  it.  I  am 
aware  that  various  old  authors  report,  that  the  ancients 
of  the  extreme  East  were  acquainted  with  the  burning 
of  vegetable  substances  as  a  means  of  inhaling  narcotic 
fumes ;  and,  indeed,  when  we  consider  their  love  of  in- 
censes, both  as  a  luxury  and  an  element  of  their  reli- 
gious cult,  we  need  not  be  surprised  at  this;  but  we 
have  no  evidence  that  the  smoking  of  tobacco  was  known 
in  the  Old  World  before  the  introduction  of  the  plant 
from  the  New.  It  was  in  1492  that  Columbus  first  be- 
13  (13) 


14        tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

held,  at  Cuba,  the  custom  of  smoking  cigars ;  but  it  was 
not  until  some  years  afterwards  that  a  Spanish  monk 
recognized  the  plant  in  a  province  of  St.  Domingo,  called 
Tabaca  —  a  much  more  likely  foundation  for  the  name 
of  the  herb  than  that  adopted  by  some,  who  assert  that 
it  originated  in  tabac,  a  tube  used  by  the  natives  for 
smoking.  That  there  was  no  particular  aptitude  in  the 
European  taste  for  the  use  of  this  herb,  seems  to  me 
evident  from  the  very  slow  progress  which  ensued  even 
of  the  knowledge  of  its  qualities.  So  late  as  1560,  when 
Jean  Nicot,  the  French  ambassador  at  the  court  of 
Portugal,  -reported  of  it  to  his  sovereign,  scarcely -any 
thing  was  known  of  the  foreign  vegetable,  and  in  place 
of  the  men  who  accompanied  Columbus  having  taken  to 
any  imitation  of  the  Cuban  natives  when  they  returned 
to  Europe,  it  would  rather  seem  that  tKe  adoption  of 
the  pipe  is  attributable  to  an  Englishman,  Raphelengi, 
who,  having  accustomed  himself  to  it  in  Virginia,  intro- 
duced the  practice  into  England.  Sir  Walter  Raleigh 
does  not  seem  to  have  used  the  pipe  until  after  the 
return  of  Sir  Francis  Drake  in  1586,  so  that  nearly  a 
hundred  years  expired  before  even  the  roots  of  the  habit 
were  fixed  in  the  English  people.  Nor,  probably,  would 
the  practice  after  this  have  spread  so  rapidly  as  it  did, 
if  it  had  not  been  for  the  persecution  to  which  it  was 
almost  immediately  exposed.  If  it  is  true,  as  has  been 
said,  that  a  few  opposing  volumes  will  fix  the  roots  of  a 
heresy,  we  need  scarcely  wonder  at  the  triumph  of 
tobacco,  against  the  use  of  which  more  than  a  hundred 
fulminating  volumes  issued  from  the  pfess  within  a  few 
years. 


GENERAL    CHARACTERISTICS.  15 

2.  These  observations  suggest  a  reference  to  the  ques- 
tion, how  far  tobacco  was  intended  for  the  use  of  man  ? 
The  practice  of  the  Cuban  savages  is  seized  by  one  party 
as  a  proof  of  a  final  cause,  insomuch  as  savages  are  sup- 
posed to  follow  the  first  dictates  of  nature ;  and  then 
comes  the  other  party,  who  point  to  the  tardy  adoption 
of  nature's  gift  by  a  civilized  people  as  a  clear  proof 
that  the  weed  was  not  intended  for  the  uses  to  which  it 
is  applied.  I  believe  that  it  is  utterly  vain  to  discuss 
questions  of  this  kind.  We  have  no  elements  for  a 
proper  judgment.  Perhaps,  for  aught  we  know,  the 
American  savages  were  some  thousands  of  years  in 
coming  to  the  habit — at  least  we  have  no  reason  to 
suppose  that  it  could  be  a  very  primitive  adoption. 
Whether,  indeed,  man's  custom,  in  most  cases,  is  a  proof 
of  itself  of  nature's  intention,  must  always  be  a  puzzle ; 
but  as  we  know  that  many  very  bad  things  are  greatly 
more  natural  to  human  beings  than  we  would  wish  them 
to  be,  we  have  just  as  good  a  right  to  say  for  those  to 
whom  good  tendencies  are  delightful  from  the  begin- 
ning, that  nature  intended  they  should  do  their  best 
to  eradicate  what  is  hurtful,  and  reclaim  their  fellow- 
creatures  from  the  indulgences  of  vice.  The  true  prac- 
tical question  must  in  short  always  be,  what  is  bene- 
ficial and  what  is  hurtful,  according  to  the  results  of  our 
experience. 

3.  The  botany  of  our  subject  presents  us  with  seven 
or  eight  different  species  of  the  plant,  all  affecting,  more 
or  less,  the  warm  latitudes.  Virginia  seems,  of  all 
regions,  the  best  suited  to  its  culture,  and  yields  in  great 
quaritity  the  common  or  Virginian  tobacco  (Nkotiana 


16   tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

tabacum).  A  more  hardy  kind  (iV.  rustica,')  may  bo 
cultivated  in  such  latitudes  as  that  of  Scotland.  This  is 
the  species  which  has  been  found  in  Europe,  Asia,  and 
Africa ;  and  were  it  not  for  the  restriction  imposed  by 
statute,  we  would  produce  it  on  rich  soils  in  greater 
quantities  than  would  be  convenient  for  our  treasury,  or 
beneficial  to  our  people.  I  need  hardly  say  here,  that 
the  question  of  intention,  on  the  part  of  nature,  is  not 
much  helped  by  the  habitat  of  the  production  used; 
otherwise  we  might  expect  to  fiiid  the  northern  races 
less  addicted  to  the  use  of  this  tropical  weed  than  those 
of  the  warmer  regions.  We  know  that  probably  the 
contrary  is  the  truth ;  but  all  our  efforts  to  draw  any 
conclusion  for  or  against  the  adaptation  of  a  race  to  a 
production  of  a  climate,  are  rendered  futile  by  the 
teachings,  not  more  of  our  religion,  than  of  naturalists, 
who  insist  for  a  central  point  of  origin  for  all  races, 
and  a  constitution  suited  to  all  climates.  The  safest 
position  to  hold,  is  that  for  which  I  insist,  that  a  bad 
habit  may  be  formed  in  any  latitude,  and  supported  by 
any  number  of  arguments,  where  the  wish  still  holds  its 
mysterious  power  over  the  conclusions  of  what  we  call 
reason. 

4.  As  regards  the  composition  of  tobacco,  we  have 
endless  experiments  in  that  nearly  new  science.  Organic 
Chemistry,  which  seems  to  try  the  patience  of  industry 
itself  There  are  some  nine  or  ten  different  substances 
which  go  to  the  formation  of  a  tobacco  leaf,  and  these 
eeem  to  change  in  their  proportions  according  to  the 
condition  of  the  plant.  Setting  aside  starch,  various 
acids  and  salts,  we  ceme  to  what  may  be  termed  tho 


GENERAL    CHARACTERISTICS.  17 

essential  element  or  principle  called  Nicotina,  with  the 
formula  C^  H"*  N^.  These  proportions  of  carbon,  hydro- 
gen, and  azote,  really  tell  to  the  analyst  nothing  from 
which  he  could  predicate  any  thing  certain  as  to  the 
character  of  the  compound.  In  this  respect,  all  the 
formulae  of  organic  substances  are  nearly  under  the 
same  mystery;  a  small  difference  in  the  proportions 
producing  the  greatest  difference  in  the  combined  re- 
sults. But  we  can  be  under  no  mistake  as  to  the  char- 
acter of  the  element  which  is  called  Nicotina  —  a  color- 
less liquid  alkaloid,  with  an  acrid,  burning  taste.  It  is 
one  of  the  most  intense  of  all  poisons,  approaching  in  its 
activity  the  strongest  preparation  of  prussic  acid. 

6.  The  other  important  element  procured  from  the 
analysis  of  tobacco,  is  an  oil  called  nicotianin,  supposed 
to  be  "the  juice  of  cursed  hebanon"  referred  to  in 
Hamlei;  this  is  the  poet's  formula;  the  chemist's  is 
C"H"0^;  but  if  the  latter  did  not  know  from  actual 
experience  the  deadly  power  of  the  substance,  he  would 
have  a  small  chance  of  arriving  at  it  by  any  analogy 
between  formulae.  As  this  oily  substance  is  also  a  very 
intense  ^poison,  differing  essentially  from  the  alkaloid, 
and  indeed  it  is  supposed  capable  of  acting  on  different 
vital  organs,  we  have  thus  in  tobacco  two  poisons  — 
rather  a  remarkable  fact  in  organic  chemistry,  where  we 
find,  generally,  only  one  very  active  principle  at  the 
base  of  any  particular  production  in  the  vegetable  king- 
dom. It  is  indeed  asserted  by  Landerer,  that  there  is 
none  of  this  deadly  oil  in  the  fresh  leaves  of  tobacco ; 
and  Mr.  Pereira  remarks,  that  the  substance  must  be 
developed  in  the  drying  of  the  leaves  under  the  infli> 


18      tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

ence  of  air  and  water.  The  discovery,  if  true,  may  fre« 
the  weed  from  the  charge  of  possessing  a  double  poison; 
but  the  consequence  is  all  the  same  to  the  foreign  con- 
sumer, who  never  sees  the  leaf  in  its  green  state. 

6.  It  has  been  said  that  the  smoke  of  tobacco,  as 
analysed  by  Zeise  and  others,  contains  nothing  of  the 
deadly  alkaloid,  and  tobacco  smokers  have  pleaded  for 
less  detrimental  effects  from  the  pipe  or  cigar  than  from 
the  quid;  but Ifear  their  concliision  is  not  very  tenable, 
for  the  detrimental  oil,  as  we  in  fact  see  from  the  pipe 
itself,  is  largely  increased  by  the  continued  roasting  and 
burning.  We  know,  too,  that  the  old  pipe  is  a  favorite 
with  the  epicures;  the  more  oil  by  which  it  is  blackened 
the  better  becomes  the  instrument,  till  it  attains  perfec- 
tion as  a  mass  of  clay  soaked  with  poison,  and  dried, 
and  soaked  and  dried  a  hundred  times,  so  that  the  en- 
tire matter  is  imbued  with  the  absorption.  See  Dr 
Waller  Lewis's  recommendation  to  the  gentlemen  of 
the  London  Post-Office,  at  page  137.  The  chewer  takes 
less  of  the  oil,  but  more  of  the  alkaloid;  the  smoker 
less  of  the  alkaloid,  but  more  of  the  oil;  the  compari- 
son is  simply  a  balance  of  evils,  which  is  odioitif  to  either 
set  of  debauchees,  and  some  get  quit  of  the  invidious 
comparison  by  taking  the  drug  in  both  forms — a  refuge 
from  scientific  doubt  compensating  for  the  greater  amount 
of  destruction  to  health  and  comfort.  But  if  we  are  to 
believe  Dr.  Merries,  the  nicotianin  is  not  destitute  of  a 
portion  of  the  alkaloid;  and  as  we  know  that  the  in- 
haled smoke  is  largely  infected  with  the  oil  of  an  old 
pipe,  the  smoker  has  less  to  say  for  his  habit  than  the 
chewer  will  concede;  and  I  fairly  admit,  that  it  doe« 


GENERAL    CHARACTERIST.CS.  19 

not  appear  to  me  to  be  at  all  clear,  that  the  former  has 
any  advantage  over  the  latter  in  other  respects;  for 
while  the  smoker's  account  must  be  debited  with  the 
topical  diseases,  chiefly  carcinomatous,  from  which  the 
chewer  is  to  a  great  extent  free,  he  consumes  a  far 
greater  portion  of  the  weed  than  his  competing  debau- 
chee— a  surplus  so  great,  j[n  the  confirmed  cigar  smoker, 
that  we  are  often  called  upon  for  a  surprise  at  the  num- 
ber of  these  small  rolls  which  constitute  his  daily  supply. 
7.  Turning  to  the  main  part  of  our  subject,  the  phy- 
siological effects,  we  find  that,  in  the  carnivora,  tobacco 
shows  its  power  in  a  very  striking  manner,  causing  vo- 
miting, purging,  universal  trembling,  staggering,  con- 
vulsions, and  stupor.  Physiologists  are  not  at  one  in 
regard  to  the  peculiar  mode  of  action ;  the  nerves  are 
probably  the  principal  medium;  but  the  many  instances 
we  have  on  record,  of  death  produced  by  an  application 
of  small  quantities  to  wounds,  would  indicate  that  the 
process  is  more  complex.  There  is  an  ingenious  expe- 
riment reported,  where  the  effect  of  tobacco  was  noticed 
in  an  animal  whose  head  was  cut  off,  and  artificial  respi- 
ration kept  up.  The  tobacco  did  not,  as  in  the  ordinary 
case,  paralyse  the  heart ;  and  the  conclusion  is  accord- 
ingly drawn,  that  it  is  through  the  medium  of  the  brain 
that  the  death  action  is  exercised  on  that  organ.  But 
the  whole  of  this  question  is  rendered  dubious  or  diffi- 
cult by  other  facts.  For  instance,  there  is  a  difference 
of  action  between  the  alkaloid  and  the  oil ;  the  latter 
of  which  is  said  not  to  possess  the  power  of  paralyzing 
the  heart.  Applied  to  the  tongue  of  a  cat,  one  drop  of 
the  oil  caused  convulsions;  and  in  two  minuter  death, 


20       tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse 

without  for  some  time  affecting  much  tte  action  of  the 
heart;  so  that,  in  this  respect,  it  operates  very  nnicli  in 
the  manner  of  prussic  acid. 

8.  On  man,  the  physiological  effects  have  been  very 
minutely  observed.  I  cannot  do  better  than  give  the 
words  of  Mr.  Pereira :  ^'  In  small  doses,  tobacco  causes 
a  sensation  of  heat  in  the  throat,  and  sometimes  a  feel- 
ing of  warmth  at  the  stomach.  These  effects  are,  how- 
ever, less  obvious  when  the  remedy  is  taken  in  a  liquid 
form,  and  largely  diluted.  By  repetition,  it  usually  ope- 
rates as  a  diuretic,  and  less  frequently  as  a  laxative. 
Accompanying  these  effects  are  often  nausea,  and  a  pe- 
culiar feeling,  usually  described  as  giddiness,  scarcely 
according  with  the  ordinary  acceptation  of  this  form. 
As  dropsical  swellings  sometimes  disappear  under  the 
operation  of  these  doses,  it  has  been  inferred  that  the 
remedy  promotes  the  operation  of  the  absorbents.  In 
larger  doses  it  promotes  nausea,  vomiting,  and  purging : 
though  it  seldom  gives  rise  to  abdominal  pain,  it  pro 
duces  a  most  distressing  sensation  of  sinking  at  the  pit 
of  the  stomach.  It  occasionally  acts  as  an  anodyne,  or 
more  rarely  promotes  sleep.  But  its  most  remarkable 
effects  are  languor,  feebleness,  relaxation  of  muscles, 
trembling  of  the  limbs,  great  anxiety,  and  tendency  to 
faint.  Vision  is  frequently  enfeebled,  the  ideas  con- 
fused, the  pulse  small  and  weak,  the  respiration  some- 
what laborious,  the  surface  cold  and  clammy,  or  bathed 
in  a  cold  sweat,  and,  in  extreme  cases,  convulsive  move- 
ments are  observed.  In  excessive  doses,  the  effects  are 
of  the  same  kind,  but  more  violent  in  degree.  The 
more  prominent  symptoms  are  nausea,  vomiting,  and  in 


GENERAL    CHARACTERISTICS.  21 

8ome  cases  purging,  extreme  weakness,  and  relaxation 
of  the  muscles,  depression  of  the  vascular  system  (mani- 
fested by  feeble  pulse,  pale  face,  cold  sweats,  and  ten- 
dency to  faint),  convulsive  movements,  followed  by 
paralysis,  and  a  kind  of  torpor  terminating  in  death." 

9.  As  an  accompaniment  to  these  physiological  effects, 
I  may  here  give  an  extract  from  the  newly  published 
pamphlet  by  Monsieur  Fi^v^e,  showing  the  mental  or 
moral  effects  of  this  deleterious  agent. 

"  We  do  not  insist  principally  on  the  material  disas- 
ters resulting  from  tobacco,  knowing  very  well  that  any 
reasoning  on  this  subject  will  not  produce  conviction. 
A  danger  of  far  greater  interest  to  those  concerned  in 
the  preservation  of  the  individual,  is  the  enfeeblement 
of  the  human  mind,  the  loss  of  the  powers  of  intelli- 
geace  and  of  moral  energy;  in  a  word,  of  the  vigor  of 
the  intellect,  one  of  the  elements  of  which  is  memory. 
We  are  much  deceived,  if  the  statistics  of  actual  men- 
tal vigor  would  not  prove  the  low  level  of  the  intellect 
throughout  Europe  since  the  introduction  of  tobacco. 
The  Spaniards  have  first  experienced  the  penalty  of  its 
abuse,  the  example  of  which  they  have  so  industriously 
propagated,  and  the  elements  of  which  originated  in 
their  conquests  and  their  ancient  energy.  The  rich 
Havanna  enjoys  the  monopoly  of  the  poison  which 
procures  so  much  gold  in  return  for  so  many  victims ; 
but  the  Spaniards  have  paid  for  it  also  by  the  loss  of 
their  political  importance,  of  their  rich  appanage  of  art 
and  literature,  of  their  chivalry,  which  made  them  one 
of  the  first  people  of  the  world.  Admitting  that  other 
causes  operated,  tobacco  has  been  one  of  the  most  influ- 


22        tobacco:  its  use  and  a»use. 

ential.  Spain  is  now  a  vast  tobacco  shop,  and  its  only 
consolation  is,  that  other  nations  are  fast  approaching 
to  its  level.  Tobacco,  as  the  great  flatterer  of  sensuality, 
is  one  of  the  most  energetic  promoters  of  individualism 
—that  is,  of  a  weakening  of  social  ties.  Its  appearance 
coincides  fatally  with  reform  and  the  spirit  of  inquiry. 
Man  inaugurates  the  introduction  of  logic  in  matters  in- 
accessible, at  the  same  time  that,  as  Montaigne  says,  he 
gives  way  to  a  habit  destructive  of  the  faculty  of  ratioci- 
nation —  a  contradiction  which  shows  us  that  necessity 
of  defect  by  which  he  is  tormented." 

My  own  experience  confirms  much  of  this,  but  a  more 
particular  physiological  account  will  be  found  in  my 
Practical  Observations.  The  reader  will  find  a  very  in- 
teresting paper  by  Dr.  Alfred  Swaine  Taylor,  in  Guy's 
Hospital  Reports,  Vol.  IV.,  p.  345. 


PRA13TI€AL    OB8EBYATION8  28 


CHAPTER  II. 

PRACTICAL  OBSERVATIONS  ON   THE   USE  AND   ABUSE 
OP   TOBACCO. 

10.  Although  for  a  considerable  time  past  I  had 
collected  many  important  facts  regarding  the  Use  and 
Abuse  of  Tobacco,  the  publication  of  these  Practical 
Observations  has  nevertheless  been  in  some  measure 
accelerated  by  the  perusal  of  a  paper  by  Professor  Sig 
mund  of  Vienna,  "Upon  Syphilitic  Contagion  from 
Cigar  Smoking,"  which  appeared  in  th^  Medical  Times 
and  Gazette,  under  "  Selections  from  Foreign  Journals." 
From  the  brief  statement  there  given,  it  is  difficult  to 
decide  what  opinion  Dr.  Sigmund  entertains  on  the 
subject — whether  he  considers  that  the  tobacco  generates 
the  syphilitic  ulceration  of  the  lips,  tonsils,  and  gums ; 
or  that  the  cigar  is  impregnated  with  the  venereal  virus, 
through  the  medium  of  the  manufacturer  of  it. 

11.  Many  cases  of  syphilitic  virus,  introduced  into  the 
healthy  constitution,  by  smoking  a  cigar  or  pipe  used  by 
a  diseased  person,  have  come  under  my  notice.  The 
practice  is  by  no  means  uncommon,  in  some  ranks  of 
life,  for  two  individuals  to  smoke  the  same  pipe  or  cigar 
alternately,  the  one  taking  a  puff,  or  draw,  after  the 
other,  and  in  this  way  the  morbid  poison  produces  a 
siftiilar  effect  to  what  is  exemplified  in  the  communica- 


24   tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

tic  a  of  yaws  or  sibbens,  by  drinking  out  of  an  infected 
cup  or  vessel.  I  have  often  been  consulted  by  gentlemen 
having  marked  syphilitic  ulcerated  throat,  which  they 
could  not  account  for,  having  had  no  primary  symptoms 
on  the  genitals.  On  interrogating  them,  they  have  ad- 
mitted lighting  a  pipe  used  by  another,  or  having 
accepted  a  puff  of  a  friend's  cigar.  Some  patients  have 
presented  themselves  with  syphilitic  ulceration  on  the 
lower  or  upper  lip,  or  the  commissure  between  them 
having  a  thickened  base.  Some  have  had  syphilitic 
ulcers  of  the  mucous  membrane  of  the  cheeks,  tongue, 
and  tonsils.  A  few  have  had,  with  the  preceding  ulcers, 
secondary  eruption  of  the  skin  and  loose  hair:  while 
others  have  been  affected  with  secondary  condylomata.. 
I  once  witnessed  an  operation  performed  upon  a  woman 
with  syphilitic  ulcer  of  the  lower  lip,  combined  with  a 
hardened  base,  produced  by  smoking  a  pipe  of  a  syphilitic 
patient.  Excision  of  the  diseased  mass  was  resorted  to 
by  the  operator,  a  man  of  great  experience  and  dexterity, 
mistaking  the  affection  for  carcinoma.  In  a  few  weeks 
after  the  operation,  the  secondary  syphilitic  eruption 
manifested  itself,  and  was  cured  by  the  hydriodate  of 
potass.  It  is  scarcely  possible  to  heal  a  syphilitic  sore, 
or  to  unite  a  fractured  bone,  in  a  devoted  smoker  —  his 
constitution  seems  to  be  in  the  same  vitiated  state  as  in 
one  affected  with  scurvy. 

12.  A  writer  on  tobacco  describes  Paris,  in  its  relation 
to  smoking,  thus :  "  In  Paris,''  says  he,  *'  it  is  impossiblo 
to  walk  in  the  struts  without  being  constantly  exposed 
to  receiT3  into  the  mouth,  and  consequently  to  inhale, 
the  fumes  of  tobacco  from  so  many  mouths,  clean  ^nd 


PRACTICAL    OBSERVATIONS.  25 

nnclean,  passing  before  and  behind,  to  the  great  annoy- 
ance, and  indeed  injury  to  the  health  of  every  one,  and 
most  disgusting  to  those  cognizant  of  its  poisonous 
effects.  In  the  arcades  and  passages  it  is  particularly 
offensive  and  obnoxious,  the  atmosphere  of  those  close 
places  being  always  contaminated  by  the  pestilential  ex- 
halations. I  may  add,  this  must  be  still  more  so  the 
case  in  the  smoking-rooms  of  our  clubs.  And  I  may 
here  put  a  query  —  May  not  the  fumes  of  tobacco,  ex- 
haled from  a  smoker  laboring  under  syphilitic  sore 
throat  and  moiHt  be  inhaled  by  a  clean,  healthy  indi- 
vidual, with  an  abraded  or  ulcerated  lip,  and  the  former 
contaminate  the  latter  ?  I  have  seen  syphilitic  ulcera- 
tion of  the  lip,  the  chin,  the  mouth,  and  the  throat,  indi- 
vidually and  collectively,  where  no  trace  whatever  could 
be  brought  to  bear  on  how  the  ulcers  were  caused.  How 
often  does  syphilitic  onychia  occur  without  our  being 
able  to  discover  any  contamination  ?" 

13.  A  remarkable  change  occurs  to  the  excessive 
smoker,  when  he  labors  under  influenza  or  fever,  as  he 
then  not  only  loses  all  relish  for  the  cigar  or  pipe,  but 
even  actually  loathes  them.  Does  not  this  important 
fact  satisfactorily  show,  that  the  furor  tahaci  depends  on 
the  morbid  condition  produced  on  the  salivary  secretion 
and  organ  of  taste  by  the  deleterious  drug,  and  at  the 
same  time  illustrate  the  pathological  law,  that  two  morbid 
states  seldom  or  ever  oo-exist  in  the  same  individual  ? 
The  sudden  removal  of  all  desire  to  smoke,  affords  the 
best  refutation  to  the  delusive  representations  which  the 
unhappy  tobacco  victim  urges  for  continuing  the  inju- 
rious habit,  on  the  ground,  that  its  abandonment  would 


26    tobacco:  it%  use  and  abuse. 

be  prejudicial  to  his  health,  and  proves,  if  he  had  a  will 
to  relinquish  the  pipe  or  cigar,  he  would  find  a  wai/. 
Teh's  best  argument  to  use  in  dealing  with  the  obstinate 
prejudices  of  such  people,  is  to  tell  them,  that  an  accv- 
dental  attack  of  a  new  disease  can  sa/eli/  and  at  once 
occasion  the  total  withdrawal  of  tobacco  without  pro- 
ducing any  bad  consequences.  It  is  scarcely  possible  to 
cure  either  syphilis  or  gonorrhoea,  if  the  patient  continue 
to  indulge  in  smoking  tobacco. 

14.  When  tobacco  is  too  much  indulged  in,  it  pro- 
duces, both  locally  and  constitutional^  the  most  dire 
effects.  Locally,  smoking  causes  ulceration  of  the  lips, 
tongue,*  gums,  mucous  membrane  of  the  mouth  or 
cheeks,  tonsils,  velum,  and  even  pharynx.  Many,  from 
smoking,  produce  carcinomatous  ulceration  of  the  lower 
or  upper  lip,  or  its  commissure,  requiring  excision  of  the 
diseased  structure.  One  individual,  a  captain  of  the 
Indian  navy,  fell  a  victim  under  my  care  (from  smoking 
Cherouts).  When  I  first  saw  him,  he  had  ulceration 
of  the  mucous  membrane  of  his  left  cheek,  extending 
backwards  to  the  tonsil  and  pharynx  of  the  same  side, 
having  all  the  characteristic  appearances  of  carcinoma. 
The  disease  resisted  every  variety  of  treatment.  Inter- 
nally—  alteratives  and  mild  diet;  externally  —  fomenta- 
tions, poultices,  a  solution  of  honey  and  w^ter,  and  nitric 
acid.  From  this  case,  and  other  instances,  it  would  ap- 
pear that  the  cigar  induces  carcinoma  just  as  readily  aa 
the  cutty-pipe.  It  would  seem  that  the  pungent  oil  of 
the  tobacco,  combined  with  the  heat,  constitutes  the  ex« 

*  See  Chapter  III.,  p.  132. 


PRACTICAL    OBSERVATIONS.  27 

citing  cause.  The  ulceration  of  the  lips,  especially  the 
lower,  so  closely  resembles  syphilis,  that  it  requires  grea-. 
care  and  examination  to  distinguish  it.  If  there  be  no 
carcinomatous  condition  of  the  ulcerated  surface  of  the 
lips,  mouth,  or  throat,  rinsing  the  mouth  with  a  solution 
of  honey  (a  teaspoonful  in  a  tumbler  of  warm  water) 
three  or  four  times  a  day,  prescribing  an  alterative  pow- 
der of  the  bicarbonate  of  soda  9ji,  rhubarb  g7,  columba 
g",  twice  a  day ; ,  a  blue  pill  once  a  week ;  light  diet,  as 
the  farinaceous,  with  occasionally  fowl  or  veal ;  confine- 
ment to  a  large,  well- ventilated  room;  and  the  rigid 
abstinence  of  the  pernicious  weed,  will  generally  soon 
eflfect  a  cure.  In  some,  it  may  be  necessary  to  touch 
the  ulcerated  surface  with  nitric  acid  every  fourth  or 
fifth  day. 

15.  Devoted  smokers  as  pertinaciously  insist,  that  they 
cannot  give  up  such  a  luxury,  as  the  drunkard  affirms 
that  he  cannot  relinquish  his  stimulus.  But  I  have 
known  instances  in  both  classes  of  individuals  manfully 
giving  them  up.'  There  is  an  officer  in  Her  Majest/s 
service  who  had  upwards  of  ten  severe  attacks  of  deli- 
rium tremens,  and  is  now  a  teetotaller;  and  he  has  been 
so  for  upwards  of  fifteen  years. 

16.  The  following  case,  from  the  Half -Yearly  Ah^ 
stract  of  the  3Iedical  Sciences,  for  January  onwards  to 
July,  1854,  page  70,  satisfactorily  shows  that  tobacco 
can  be  given  up.  It  is  likewise  a  terrible  illustration 
of  its  baneful  efi"ects  on  the  constitution.  Drs.  Rankin 
and  RadclifFe,  the  editors,  head  it,  '^  A  case  of  Angina 
Pectoris  resulting  from  the  Use  of  Tobacco,^'  and  thus 
introduce  it :  "  The  following  case  possesses  a  very  high 


28         TOBACCO:     ITS     USE     AND     ABUSE. 

degree  of  interest."  The  history  of  the  case  is  thua 
related  by  Dr.  Corson,  of  New  York : 

"A  highly  intelligent  man,  aged  sixty-five,  stout, 
ruddy,  early  married,  temperate,  managing  a  large  busi- 
ness, after  premising  that  he  commenced  chewing  to- 
bacco at  seventeen,  swallowing  the  juice,  as  is  sometimes 
customary,  to  prevent  injuring  his  lungs  from  constant 
ppitting,  and  that  years  after  he  suflfered  from  a  gnaw- 
ing, capricious  appetite,  nausea,  vomiting  of  meals,  ema- 
ciation, nervousness,  and  palpitation  of  the  hearty  dic- 
tated to  Dr.  Corson,  recently,  the  following  story : 

"  '  Seven  years  thus  miserably  passed,  when,  one  day 
after  dinner,  I  was  sudaenly  seized  with  intense  pain  in 
the  chest,  gasping  for  breath,  and  a  sensation  as  if  a 
crowbar  were  pressed  tightly  from  the  right  breast  to  the 
left,  till  it  came  and  twisted  in  a  knot  round  the  heart, 
which  now  stopped  deathly  still  for  a  minute,  and  then 
leaped  like  a  dozen  frogs.  After  two  hours  of  death- 
like suffering,  the  attack  ceased ;  and  I  found  that  ever 
after  my  heart  missed  every  fourth  beat.  My  physician 
said  that  I  had  organic  disease  of  the  heart,  must  die 
suddenly,  and  need  only  take  a  little  brandy  for  the 
painful  paroxysms ;  and  I  soon  found  it  the  only  thing 
that  gave  them  any  relief.  For  the  next  twenty-seven 
years  I  continued  to  suffer  milder  attacks  like  the  above, 
lasting  from  one  to  several  minutes,  sometimes  as  often 
as  two  or  three  times  a  day  or  night;  and  to  be  sickly 
looking,  thin,  and  pale  as  a  ghost.  Simply  from  revolt- 
ing  at  the  idea  of  being  a  slave  to  one  vile  habit  alone^ 
and  without  dreaming  of  the  suffering  it  had  cost  mc^ 


PRACTICAL    OBSElfVATIONS.  29 

after  thirty-three  years*  use,  I  one  day  threw  away  tobacco 
forever. 

u  i  Words  cannot  describe  my  suffering  and  desire  for 
a  time.  I  was  reminded  of  the  Indian,  who,  next  to  all 
the  rum  in  the  world,  wanted  all  the  tobacco.  But  my 
firm  will  conquered.  In  a  month  my  paroxysms  nearly 
ceased,  and  soon  after  left  entirely.  I  was  directly  a 
new  man,  and  grew  stout  and  hale  as  you  see.  With 
the  exception  of  a  little  asthmatic  breathing,  in  close 
rooms  and  the  like,  for  nearly  twenty  years  since  I  have 
enjoyed  excellent  health.' " 

On  examination,  Dr.  Corson  found  the  heart  seemingly 
healthy  in  size  and  structure,  only  irregular y  intermitting 
still  at  every  fourth  pulsation. 

17.  After  such  well-marked  examples  of  manly  firm- 
ness, no  one  need  pretend  to  affirm  that  the  luxury  of 
smoking,  snuffing,  plugging,  or  chewing,  or  quidding, 
cannot  be  given  up;  or  that  the  stimulus  of  wine,  or 
spirits,  or  malt  liquors,  cannot  be  relinquished.  I  may 
here  remark,  that  chewing  or  quidding  does  not  seem 
to  irritate  the  mucous  membrane  of  the  mouth  to  the 
extent  that  smoking  does  -,  it  never  causes  ulceration. 

18.  Some  of  the  constitutional  effects  of  tobacco  have 
been  already  detailed  under  Dr.  Corson's  case.  But  I 
shall  commence  their  enumeration  by  generally  stating, 
that  they  are  numerous  and  varied,  consisting  of  giddi- 
ness, sickness,  vomiting,  dyspepsia,  vitiated  taste  of  the 
mouth,  loose  bowels,  diseased  liver,  congestion  of  the 
brain,  apoplexy,  palsy,  mania,  loss  of  memory,  amauro* 
sis,  deafness,  nervousness,  emasculation,  and  cowardice. 

19.  When  a  youth  commences  his  apprenticeship  to 

14 


?0       tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

smokiog  tobacco,  lie  suffers  often  the  most  inconceivably 
miserable  sickness  and  vomiting  —  almost  as  bad  as  sea- 
sickness. It  generally  produces  these  effects  so  rapidly, 
that  their  production  must  entirely  depend  upon  nervous 
influence,  as  giddiness  is  almost  immediately  induced. 
The  antidote  or  cure  for  this  miserable  condition  is 
drinking  strong  coffee,  or  brandy  and  water,  and  retiring 
to  bed  or  sofa.  If  he  perseveres,  he  has  just  to  suffer 
onwards,  until  his  nervous  system  becomes  habituated  to 
the  noxious  weed,  and  too  often  to  the  bottle  at  the  same 
time.  It  is  truly  melancholy  to  witness  the  great  num- 
ber of  the  young  who  smoke  now-a-days;  and  it  is  pain- 
ful to  contemplate  how  many  premising  youths  must  be 
stunted  in  their  growth,  and  enfeebled  in  their  minds, 
before  they  arrive  at  manhood. 

20.  "Let  the  young  adept,"  says  Boussiron,  in  his 
interesting  Treatise  on  Tobacco,  "  whom  you  wish  to 
form  by  your  lessons,  smoke  the  leaves  of  tobacco,  thorn- 
apple,  or  deadly  night-shade,  and  you  may  be  certain  to 
see  take  place  the  effects  nearly  identical  in  violence  — 
giddiness,  intoxication,  disturbed  vision,  nausea,  vomit- 
ing, and  frequently  diarrhoea." 

21.  Dyspepsia  from  the  use  of  tobacco  is  accompanied 
with  the  same  symptoms  as  when  the  disease  is  produced 
by  drinking  or  gluttony,  and  want  of  exercise  in  the 
open  air.  The  only  cure  is,  by  "  throioing  away  tobacco 
for  ever" — and  this  will  be  accelerated  by  a  blue  pill 
once  a  week,  the  alterative  powder  morning  and  evening, 
prescribed  under  ulceration  of  the  mouth,  the  infusion 
of  quassia,  or  quassia  and  gentian  combined,  iHild  nutri- 
tious diet,  as  coffee  or  tea,  with  lightly  toasted  br«ad, 


PRACTICAL    OBSERVATIONS.  31 

beef-tea  with  or  without  rice,  or  toast  for  three  or  four 
days,  a  glass  or  two  of  sherry  wine,  and  exercise  in  the 
open  air,  either  on  foot  or  horseback,  or  carriage,  or  still 
better,  all  combined.  Exercise  should  be  taken  befoie 
jmeals,  and  the  patient  lounge  on  a  sofa  for  two  or  three 
hours  after  meals.  Change  of  air,  fully  fifty  or  one 
hundred  miles  distant,  is  of  great  benefit.  After  three 
or  four  days,  beef-steak  or  mutton-chop  should  supersede 
the  beef-tea,  and  then  a  few  vegetables,  well  boiled,  may 
be  taken.  A  few  drops  of  the  balsam  of  copaiba,  say 
eight  or  ten  drops  combined,  with  ten  of  aquae  potassse, 
and  a  teaspoonful  of  sweet  nitre,  in  half  a  cup  of  cold 
water  sweetened,  and  taken  at  bed-time,  has  a  most 
soothing  efiiect.  Frank^s  Specific  is  the  most  elegant 
and  agreeable  preparation  of  copaiba,  even  preferable  to 
the  capsules.  There  is  an  imitation  of  Frank's  Specific 
prepared  by  the  chemists  of  London. 

22.  The  vitiated  taste  of  the  mouth  is  generally  a 
symptom  of  dyspepsia,  and  is  to  be  cured  in  the  same 
way. 

23.  The  looseness  of  the  bowels  is  to  "be  treated  by 
^Hhr owing  away  tobacco  for  ever ;"  by  prescribing  an 
astringent  mixture  of  the  electuary  of  catechu,  prepared 
chalk,  syrup  of  ginger  and  laudanum;  by  farinaceous 
and  milk  diet  for  eight  days,  with  rest  in  bed  for  four  or 
five  days,  then  for  the  same  time  on  a  sofa.  At  the  end 
of  eight  or  ten  days,  beef  soup  with  rice,  or  lightly  toasted 
bread,  puddings  of  rice,  sago,  and  arrow  root,  for  four  or 
five  days.  Then  beef-steak  or  mutton-chop,  with  rice, 
lightly  toasted  brfead,  and  a  glass  or  two  of  port  wino^ 


52        tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

jiade  into  negus  or  mulled.     Exercise  in  the  open  ail 
should  now  be  freely  taken. 

24.  During  the  prevalence  of  cholera,  I  have  had  re- 
peated opportunities  of  observing,  ihat  individuals  ad- 
dicted to  the  use  of  tobacco,  especially  those  who  snuff  ^ 
it,  are  more  disposed  to  attacks  of  that  disease,  and  gene- 
rally in  its  most  malignant  and  fatal  form.* 

25.  Disease  of  the  liver  seems  to  be  caused  by  the 
tobacco  exciting  the  system,  and  by  the  dyspeptic  symp- 
toms produced.  It  is  to  be  treated  by  "  throwing  away 
tobacco  for  ever;"  by  prescribing  half  a  grain  of  the 
protoioduret  of  mercury,  with  or  without  opium,  accord- 
ing to  the  state  of  the  bowels,  made  into  a  pill  with  the 
extract  of  gentian,  morning  and  evening ;  by  an  infusioa 
of  quassia,  or  quassia  and  gentian  combined ;  by  blister- 
ing over  the  region  of  the  liver,  and  dressing  the  tender 
surface  with  mercurial  ointment.  In  some  cases  it  ir 
necessary  to  keep  a  portion  of  the  blistered  surface  open 
for  some  time.  In  the  commencement,  rest,  and  farina- 
ceous and  milk  diet.  Afterwards,  exercise  in  the  open 
air,  beef-tea  with  rice,  or  lightly  toasted  bread,  for  a  few 
days ;  and  then  beef-steak  or  mutton-chop,  and  a  glass 
or  two  of  sherry.  If  the  protoioduret  threatens  to  affect 
the  mouth,  it  should  be  given  up,  and  the  same  with 
the  mercurial  dressing  of  the  blistered  surface.  Dr.  Scott 
of  India's  foot-bath  of  nitro-muriatic  acid  is  often  bene- 
ficial. When  convalescent,  nothing  is  so  beneficial  as 
change  of  air. 

26.  Congestion  of  the  brain  occurs  almost  only  in 


See  Fenn's  cases,  p,  66. 


PRACTICAL    OBSERVATIONS.  33 

those  nmcli  addicted  to  smoking,  in  whom  a  cigar  is 
never  out  of  the  mouth ;  but  I  have  witnessed  it  also  to 
occur  in  the  snuflfer  of  the  plant.  It  is  denoted  by  head- 
ache, want  of  sleep,  or  rather  restless  nights,  and  occa- 
sionally flushing  of  the  couatenance.  The  worst  case  I 
have  had  under  my  care  was  a  foreigner,  who  travelled 
for  a  manufacturer  of  cigars  —  he  was  at  the  same  time 
fearfully  nervous.  He  had  a  red,  swollen  countenance, 
as  if  he  combined  the  bottle  with  his  smoking,  but  this 
he  assured  me  he  never  did  —  the  tobacco  was  enough 
for  him.  I  inserted  an  issue  or  seton  in  the  nape  of  his 
neck,  purged  him  with  calomel  and  aloes,  put  him  on  as 
low  a  diet  as  he  would  permit,  confined  him  to  the 
house,  and  entreated  him  to  smoke  as  few  cigars  as  pos- 
sible. In  a  fortnight  the  congestion  of  the  brain  was 
subdued,  and  then  he  was  allowed  gradually  more  and 
more  nourishing  diet  and  exercise  in  the  open  air.  He 
returned  to  Edinburgh  in  two  years  after  in  good  health 
but  still  nervous  even  from  the  moderate  use  of  cigars. 
He  said  that  he  had  tried  to  give  them  up  altogether, 
but  that  he  had  found  that  impracticable  —  a  difficulty 
connected,  no  doubt,  with  his  avocation. 

27.  Apoplexy  has  been  taken  notice  of  by  several 
authors,  supervening  to  the  smoking  of  tobacco :  also  to 
the  immoderate  use  of  snufi^as  related  by  Morgagni; 
likewise  in  the  EjyhemnndesWes  Curieux  de  la  Noturey 
and  in  the  Journal  d'Allemagne  for  1830,  page  179. 
The  treatment  here  is  the  same  as  that  for  congestion 
of  the  brain. 

28.  The  form  of  palsy  produced  by  excessive  smoking 
is  generally  hemiplegia,  and  it  is  almost  always  incura- 

0 


84        tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

ble.  It  follows  as  often  from  too  much  snuffing  as  too 
muoli  smoking.  The  treatment  consists  in  '^throwing 
away  tobacco  for  eter/'  inserting  setons  in  the  lumbar 
region,  tonics,  cold  bathing,  and  good  diet. 

29.  Mania  is  a  fearful  result  of  the  excessive  use  of 
tobacco  —  two  cases  of  which  I  have  witnessed  since  the 
publication  of  this  treatise.  I  have  also  to  mention, 
that  a  gentleman  called  on  me,  and  thanked  me  for  the 
publication  of  my  Observations  on  Tobacco,  and  related 
to  me,  with  deep  emotion,  what  had  occurred  in  his  own 
family  from  smoking  tobacco.  Two  amiable  younger 
brothers  had  gone  deranged,  and  committed  suicide. 
There  is  no  hereditary  predisposition  to  mania  in  the 
family.  At  a  meeting  of  the  Medical  and  Chirurgical 
Society  of  London,  on  May  2d,  1854,  a  paper  was  read, 
entitled,  "Additional  Remarks  on  the  Statistics  and 
Morbid  Anatomy  of  Mental  Diseases,"  by  Dr.  Webster, 
wherein  he  cites,  among  the  causes,  the  great  use  of 
tobacco,  which  opinion  he  supported  by  reference  to  the 
statistics  of  insanity  in  Germany. 

30.  Loss  of  memory  takes  place  in  an  extraordinary 
degree  in  the  smoker,  much  more  so  than  in  the  drunk- 
ard, evidently  from  tobacco  acting  more  on  the  brain 
than  alcohol.  The  cure  consists  in  "  throwing  away  to- 
hacco  for  ever." 

31.  Amaurosis  is  a  ve^  common  result  of  smoking 
tobacco  to  excess;  but  I  have  never  seen  it  produced  by 
snuffing  or  chewing.  It  occurs  with  or  without  conges- 
tion of  the  brain.  It  is  commonly  confined  to  one  eye. 
It  is  generally  curable,  but  not  always,  by  ^^  throwing 
away  tobacco  for  ever'* — by  inserting  a  seton  in  the 


PRACTICAL    OBSERVATIONS.  35 

back  of  the  neck,  another  seton  in  the  temple  or  tem- 
ples, according  as  one  or  both  eyes  are  affected.  In  the 
course  of  eight  or  ten  days,  the  seton  in  the  temple  is 
to  be  withdrawn,  a  common  fly  blister  applied,  and  the 
blistered  surface  sprinkled  with  strychnia.  The  bowels 
to  be  freely  opened  with  calomel  and  aloes.  The  diet 
to  be  light,  as  the  farinaceous.  The  patient  should  be 
confined  in  a  large,  well-ventilated  apartment,  and  an 
obscure  light. 

32.  Deafness  is  not  so  common  a  sequence  to  smoking 
tobacco  as  amaurosis.  It  is  to  be  treated  on  precisely 
the  same  principles,  with  the  difference  of  applying  the 
blisters  and  strychnia  behind  the  ears. 

33.  Nervousness  is  remarkably  common  from  indulging 
too  much  in  smoking,  snuffing,  or  chewing  tobacco.  It 
is  to  be  treated  by  ^'throwing  away  tobacco  forever '^  — 
by  having  recourse  to  the  shower-bath  in  winter,  and 
sea-bathing  in  summer  —  by  nourishing  diet,  attention 
to  the  bowels,  the  alterative  powder,  as  prescribed  under 
ulceration  of  the  lips,  the  tonics,  as  quassia  and  gentian, 
and  even  quinine ;  exercise  in  the  open  air,  and  by  mix- 
ing in  quiet,  agreeable  society,  as  the  nervous  system  is 
easily  and  readily  over-excited ;  and,  lastly,  by  change 
of  air,  and  ultimately  travelling  about. 

34.  Emasculation,  as  an  effect  of  tobacco,  may  well 
astonish  the  gay  Lothario,  as  he  might,  unconscious  of 
the  cause,  have  boasted,  that  "  never  in  my  youth  did  I 
apply  the  means  of  weakness  and  debility."  I  have 
been  consulted  by  fathers  of  from  thirty  t,o  forty  years 
of  age,  who,  having  married  in  early  life,  ^ave  had  two 
or  three  children  soon  after  marriage  onwards  Si  thirty 


86       tobacco:  its   use  and  abuse. 

years  old,  but  have  been  surprised  that  they  had  even 
tually  lost  all  inclination  for  sexual  indulgenc(3.  On  in« 
terrogating  them,  I  have  invariably  found  that  they  were 
all  excessive  smokers ;  and  on  convincing  them  that  to- 
b^co  was  the  cause  of  their  temporary  impotence,  they 
have  instantly  "  thrown  away  tobacco  forever"  and  in  a 
few  months  after  have  returned  to  me,  saying  that  they 
had  become  fathers  again.  I  have  found  unmarried  men 
similarly  affected  with  the  want  of  the  sexual  vis  et 
animus. 

35.  I  have  invariably  found,  that  patients  addicted  to 
tobacco  smoking  were  in  spirit  cowardly,  and  deficient 
in  manly  fortitude  to  undergo  any  surgical  operation, 
however  trifling,  proposed  to  relieve  them  from  the  suf- 
fering of  other  complaints.  In  such  cases  chloroform  is 
a  great  boon. 

86.  When  we  consider  the  effect  of  tobacco  in  tetanus, 
and  in  strangulated  hernia  in  former  days,  we  can  read- 
ily comprehend  its  powerful  narcotic  effects :  they  are 
stronger  than  opium — opium  differing  from  tobacco  only 
in  constipating  the  bowels.  The  use  of  tobacco  for  me- 
dical purposes  has  been  long  known,  but  its  application 
has  been  carried,  fundamentally^  of  late,  to  the  full  ex- 
tent to  which  the  human  body  can  be  subjected — a  cigar 
having  been  actually  inserted  into  the  anus,  by  an  Ame- 
rican physician,  as  a  medical  reagent — thus  introducing 
the  poison  into  every  vital  passage. 

37.  The  number  of  people  who  from  twelve  years  of 
age  are  given  to  smoking,  snuffing,  plugging,  and  chew- 
ing, or  quidding  the  Jioxious  weed,  appears  quite  incre- 
dible     By  its  so  general  consumption,  we  must  become 


PRACTICAL    OBSERVATIONS.  37 

clianged  in  both  corporeal  and  mental  faculties — we  can- 
not fail  to  be  enfeebled  in  body  and  mind,  and  become 
a  deteriorated  race.  \\  once  travelled  with  a  gentleman 
from  South  America,  who  first  filled  his  nostrils  with 
snuflF,  which  he  prevented  falling  out,  by  stuffing  shag 
tobacco  after  it,  and  this  he  termed  "plugging"  —  then 
put  in  each  cheek  a  coil  of  pigtail  tobacco,  which  he 
named  "  quidding,"  in  this  country  called  "  chewing  : " 
lastly,  he  lit  a  Havannah  cigar,  which  he  put  into  his 
mouth;  and  thus  smoked  and  chewed,  puffing  at  one 
time  the  smoke  of  the  cigar,  and  at  another  time  squirt- 
ing the  juice  from  his  mouth,  as  so  graphically  described 
by  Dickens  in  the  boat  story,  on  the  way  to  the  Far 
West.  This  gentleman  was  as  thin  as  a  razor,  with  an 
olive-colored  countenance,  and  frightfully  nervous.  The 
preceding  is  neither  a  caricature,  nor  an  exaggerated  ac- 
count of  the  fearful  extent  to  which  the  use  of  tobacco 
is  carried  —  not  merely  in  Europe,  as  we  know,  but,  as 
there  is  every  reason  to  fear,  in  every  quarter  of  the' 
globe  where  it  either  grows,  or  is  unhappily  conveyed. 

38.  There  can  be  no  doubt,  from  what  has  occurred 
in  the  war  just  ended,  that  had  the  Turks  never  indulged 
in  the  vicious  habit  of  smoking  tobacco,  they  would  not 
have  required  the  assistance  of  the  French,  Sardinians, 
and  British.  They  would  have  been  as  powerful  as  in 
the  days  of  the  Sultans  Othman,  Orchan,  Amurath  the 
First,  and  Bajazet,  and  would  have  sent  such  a  message 
through  Menschikoff  to  the  Czar  Nicholas,  as  the  Sul- 
tan Bajazet  said  to  the  Count  de  Nevers,  of  France,  when 
taken  prisoner  after  his  celebrated  ufisuccessful  caralry 
cJiarge  (like  that  at  Balaklava)  near  Nf.cropcJis. 


S8       tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

«> 

35  It  is  allowed  by  British  and  other  European  offi« 
cersj  «hat  the  Turkish  soldier  is  equal,  if  not  superior, 
to  the  private  soldier  of  any  other  European  nation.* 
But  the  officers  are  ignorant,  lazy,  and  indolent,  con- 
stantly stupefied  with  tobacco.  The  late  expedition  of 
Omer  Pacha  from  Batoun  to  Kutais,  is  graphically  de- 
scribed by  one  of  the  correspondents  of  an  English 
journal :  while  the  private  soldiers  were  toiling  away  in 
dragging  the  artillery  through  forests,  their  officers  were 
iquatted,  smoking  their  pipes  or  chibouques ! 

40.  It  is  stated  that  Abbas  the  First,  Shah  of  Persia 
in  the  beginning  of  the  seventeenth  century  (he  reigned 
from  1587  to  1629),  denounced  opium  and  tobacco;  and 
that,  when  leading  an  army  against  the  Cham  of  Tartary, 
he  proclaimed  that  every  soldier  in  whose  possession  to- 
bacco was  found,  would  have  his  nose  and  lips  cut  off, 
and  afterwards  be  burnt  alive.  He  re-established  the 
Persian  empire  by  his  activity  and  conquests. 
•  41.  Amurath  the  Fourth,  of  Turkey,  denounced  the 
use  of  tobacco.     He  ended  his  reign  in  1389. 

42.  The  manner  of  the  embodiment  of  the  Janizaries, 
and  especially  their  training  for  soldiers  by  their  founder 
Ala-ed-deen,  the  brother  of  the  Sultan  Orchan,  is  well 
worth  the  consideration  of  the  Secretary-at-War,  the 
Commander-in-Chief,  the  Horse-Guards,  and,  more  par- 
ticularly, of  the  Army  Reform  Commissioners. 

43.  "  The  Mahrattas,  in  working  a  battery,  never 
pointed  their  cannon  so  as  to  mark  in  a  particular  spo% 

♦  Vide  Le  Continent,  in  1854.  Paris,  1854.  Also,  General  Wil- 
liami's  (the  brave  defender  of  Kars)  Speech  at  the  Army  and  Nayy 
Club,  Juae,  1856. 


PRACTICAL    OBSERVATIONS.  39 

but  aimed  at  random  all  round  the  wall.  After  loading 
a  gun  they  sat  down,  smoked  and  conversed  for  half-an- 
hour;  then  fired,  reloaded,  and  resumed  their  conversa^ 
tion.  Two  hours  at  mid-day,  by  mutual  consent,  were 
Bet  apart  for  meals  and  recreation."  ^'  The  English  cal- 
culated seven  years  as  the  period  in  which  a  breach 
might  be  effected."* 

44.  It  is  stated  that  the  Sikhs,  now  named  the  Pun- 
jabees,  never  smoke  tobacco,  it  being  contrary  to  their 
religion.  I  may  ask,  are  there  any  soldiers  in  India 
equal  to  the  Sikhs  ?  At  Chillianwallah,  at  Moodkee,  at 
Ferozshah,  at  Aliwur,  at  Mooltan,  at  Sobraon,  no  soldiers 
behaved  better. 

45.  Mr.  Meadows,  in  an  interesting  account  of  the 
Chinese,  states,  that  "  the  soldier  who  smokes  tobacco  is 
bambooed,  and  he  who  smokes  opium  is  beheaded." — 

Vide  British  Quarterly  Review,  No.  61,  for  July,  1857, 
page  49. 

46.  Humph,  in  his  Herbarium  Amhoinense,  says,  that 
the  Chinese  and  natives  of  India  used  tobacco  only  as  a 
medicine  or  medicament.  "  Neutiquam,"  he  observes, 
''  vere  ad  suctionem  sed  tantum  modo  ad  usum  medicum 
unanimo  enim  consensu,  Indi  assentiunt  sese  Tabaci  suc- 
tionem ab  Europeis  dedicisse." 

47.  The  celebrated  French  surgeon,  Percy,  states, 
that  tobacco  was  as  regularly  served  out  to  the  French 
soldiers  as  provisions,  and  thus  comments  on  the  prac- 
tice :  "  It  had  doubtless  been  calculated  that  smoking 
hurt  the  appetite ;   and  to  save  daily  from  four  to  six 

*  Murray's  British  India,  vol.  ii.  p.  127.  The  author  here  allude* 
to  the  siege  of  Darwar,  occupied  by  Tippoo  in  September,  1791. 


40   tobacco;  its  use  and  abuse. 

ounces  of  bread  per  man,  they  furnished  him  with  three 
farthings'  worth  of  bad  tobacco.  During  the  conquest 
of  Holland,  Louvois  paid  more  attention  to  furnishing 
tobacco  than  provisions ;  and  even  at  this  day,  as  well  as 
in  former  times,  more  care  is  tal^en  to  procure  tobacco 
than  bread  to  the  soldier.  Every  soldier  was  obliged  to 
have  his  pipe  and  his  match." 

48.  Constant  relates  the  following  anecdote  of  the 
great  Napoleon :  ."  Napoleon,"  says  he,  "  once  took  a 
fancy  to  smoke,  for  the  purpose  of  trying  a  very  fine 
oriental  pipe  presented  to  him  by  a  Turkish  or  Persian 
ambassador.  Preparation  having  been  made  —  the  fire 
having  been  applied  to  the  recipient — nothing  more  was 
to  be  done  than  to  communicate  it  to  the  tobacco,  but 
that  could  never  be  efi'ected  in  the  way  taken  by  his 
majesty  for  that  purpose.  He  contented  himself  with 
opening  and  shutting  his  mouth  alternately,  without  the 
least  in  the  world  drawing  in  his  breath.  'How  the 
devil,'  cried  he  at  last  — '  that  does  nothing ! '  I  made 
him  observe,  that  he  made  the  attempt  badly,  and  showed 
him  the  proper  mode  of  doing  it.  But  the  emperor 
always  returned  to  his  kind  of  yawning.  Wearied  by 
his  vain  attempts,  he  at  last  desired  me  to  light  the  pipe. 
I  obeyed,  and  returned  it  to  him  in  order.  But  scarcely 
had  he  drawn  in  a  mouthful,  when  the  smoke,  which  he 
knew  not  how  to  expel  from  his  mouth,  turned  back  into 
his  palate,  penetrated  into  his  throat,  and  came  out  by 
the  nose  and  blinded  him.  As  soon  as  he  recovered 
breath  — '  Take  that  away  from  me — what  abomination  ! 
Oh,  the  swine  !  —  my  stomach  turns  ! '  In  fact,  he  felt 
himself  so  annoyed  for  at  least  an  hour,  that  he  renounced 


PRACTICAL    OBSERVATIONS.  41 

for  ever  tlie  pleasure  of  a  habit  which  he  said  was  only 
fit  to  amuse  sluggards." 

49.  The  students  attending  the  American  colleges  are 
said  to  destroy  their  physical  and  moral  powers  by 
smoking  tobacco,  so  as  to  unfit  them  to  prosecute  their 
studies,  and  afterwards  to  become  useful  members  of 
society.  But  we  have  even  the  judges  on  the  bench 
quidding  tobacco,  as  well  as  the  members  of  parliament, 
so  facetiously  described  by  Dickens  in  his  American 
Notes  for  general  circulation,  wherein  he  terms  Wash- 
ington the  head-quarters  of  tobacco-tinctured  saliva. 
Dr.  Budget,  in  his  treatise  on  tobacco,  states,  that  in 
America,  '^  it  is  no  uncommon  circumstance  to  hear  of 
inquests  on  the  bodies  of  smokers,  especially  youths; 
the  ordinary  verdict  being,  *■  died  from  extreme  tobacco 
smoking.' " 

50.  "  The  pupils  of  the  Polytechnic  School  in  Paris 
have  recently  furnished  some  curious  statistics  bearing 
on  the  tobacco  controversy.  Dividing  the  young  gen- 
tlemen of  that  college  into  two  groups  —  the  smokers 
and  non-smokers  —  it  is  shown  that  the  smokers  have 
shown  themselves  in  the  various  competitive  examina- 
tions far  inferior  to  the  others.  Not  only  in  the  exami- 
nations on  entering  the  school  are  the  smokers  in  a  lower 
rank,  but  in  the  various  ordeals  that  they  have  to  pass 
through  in  a  year,  the  average  rank  of  the  smokers  had 
constantly  fallen,  and  not  inconsiderably,  while  the  men 
who  did  not  smoke  enjoyed  a  cerebral  atmosphere  of  the 
clearest  kind." — From  the  Glohcj  also  the  Duhlin  Medi* 
col  Press. 

51.  Excessive  smoking  has  had  no  small  share  in  the 


42   tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

degeneration  of  Spain.  A  Spaniard  is  never  without  a 
cigar  in  his  mouth.  It  was  observed  during  the  Penin- 
sular war,  that  the  Spanish  officers  passed  the  whole  day 
in  smoking,  in  cutting  and  mincing  tobacco  to  make 
paper  cigars,  and  in  eating  and  sleeping  —  and  never 
existed  men  sunk  in  such  idleness,  indolence,  and 
apathy.  I  am  sorry  to  add,  that  the  Portuguese  were 
in  the  same  degraded  condition.  Germany  is  said  to  be 
as  immersed  in  *obacco  as  Spain.  And  I  fear  we  are 
fast  drifting  into  the  same  degraded  condition.  Fenelon 
Bays,  "  Youth  is  the  flower  of  a  nation;  it  is  in  the  flower 
that  the  fruit  should  loe  cultivated."  Condorcet,  on  the 
progress  of  the  human  mind,  thus  concludes  :  "  Such  is 
the  practice  of  using  fermented  liquors,  hot  drinks, 
opium,*  and  tobacco,  that  men  have  sought  with  a  kind 

*  The  author  of  "  Confessions  of  an  English  Opium  Eater,"  states, 
that  the  number  of  amateur  opium-eaters  in  London  is  immense. 
And  in  Manchester,  the  work  people  of  the  cotton  manufactories  are 
rapidly  getting  into  the  practice  of  opium-eating.  In  the  Nineteenth 
Keport  of  the  Inspectors  of  Prisons  in  the  Northern  and  Eastern 
Districts  of  England,  it  is  stated  that,  in  the  district  of  Wisbeach, 
*'  opium-eating  is  very  prevalent  in  this  district,  and  the  use  of  the 
drug  is  often  apparent  in  its  effects  on  the  morals  and  intellects  of  the 
prisoners."  The  Rev.  A.  S.  Thelwall,  in  his  interesting  work  on 
*'  The  Iniquities  of  the  Opium  Trade  with  China,"  gives  a  deplorable 
account  of  the  destructive  effect  on  the  health  of  the  Chinese  who  in- 
dulge in  it.  He  gives  a  translation  of  a  memorial  to  the  Emperor, 
by  Choo  Tsun,  a  member  of  Council,  &c.  "  In  the  history  of  For- 
mosa," says  he,  "we  find  the  following  passage:  Opium  was  first 
produced  in  Kaoutsinne,  which  by  some  is  said  to  be  the  same  as 
Kalapa  or  Batavia.  The  natives  of  this  place  were,  at  the  first, 
sprightly  and  active,  and,  being  good  soldiers,  were  always  successful 
in  battle.  But  the  people  called  Hung-maou  (red-haired,)  came 
thither,  and  having  manufactured  opium,  seduced  some  of  the  native* 


PRACTICAL    OBSERVATIONS.  43 

of  frenzy,  means  of  procuring  sensations  which  may  be 
continually  renewed.  There  are  few  nations  among 
whom  these  practices  are  not  observed,  from  which  is 
derived  a  pleasure  that  occupies  whole  days,  or  is  re- 
peated at  every  interval,  that  prevents  the  weight  of 
time  from  being  felt,  satisfies  the  necessity  of  having 
the  faculties  roused,  and  at  last  blunting  the  edge  of 

into  the  habit  of  smoking  it.  From  these  the  mania  for  it  spread 
rapidly  throughout  the  whole  nation ;  so  that  in  process  of  time  the 
natives  became  feeble  and  enervated,  submitted  to  foreign  rule,  and 
ultimately  were  completely  subjugated.  No#  the  English,"  continues 
he,  "are  of  the  race  of  foreigners  called  Hung-maou.  In  introducing 
opium  into  this  country,  their  purpose  has  been  to  weaken  and  en- 
feeble the  Central  Empire.  If  not  early  aroused  to  a  sense  of  our 
danger,  we  shall  find  ourselves  ere  long  on  the  last  step  towards 
ruin."  "  It  thus  appears,"  concludes  Choo  Tsun,  "  it  is  beyond  the 
power  of  any  artificial  means  to  save  a  people  enervated  by  luxury," 
In  the  same  memorial,  Choo  Tsun  thus  observes:  "While  the  stream 
of  importation  of  opium  is  not  turned  aside,  it  is  impossible  to  attain 
any  certainty  that  none  within  the  camp  do  ever  secretly  inhale  the 
drug.  And  if  the  camp  be  once  contaminated  by  it,  the  baneful  in- 
fluence will  work  its  way,  and  the  habit  will  be  contracted  beyond 
the  power  of  reform.  When  the  periodical  times  of  desire  for  it  come 
round,  how  can  the  victims  {their  legs  tottering,  their  hands  trembling, 
their  eyes  Jlo wing  with  child-like'tears,)  be  able  in  any  way  to  attend 
to  their  proper  exercise?  Or  how  can  such  men  form  strong  and  pow- 
erful legions  ?  Under  these  circumstances ,  the  military  loill  become 
alike  tinfit  to  the  fight,  or  in  a  retreat  to  defend  their  posts.  Of  this 
there  is  a  clear  proof  in  the  instance  of  the  campaign  against  the 
Yaou  rebels  in  1832,  In  the  army  sent  to  Leenchnow  on  that  occasion, 
great  numbers  of  the  soldiers  xoere  opium-smokers ;  so  that,  although 
their  numerical  force  teas  large,  there  was  hardly  any  strength  to  be 
found  among  them."  If  the  smoking  of  opium  produces  such  direful 
effects,  why  should  not  tobacco  ?  They  are  both  narcotics,  nay,  to- 
bacco is  the  more  potent  narcotic  or  poison. 


44   tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

this  necessity,  thus  prolongs  the  duration  of  the  infancy 
and  inactivity  of  the  human  mind.  These  practices, 
which  have  proved  an  obstacle  to  the  progress  of  igno- 
rant and  enslaved  nations,  produce  also  their  effects  in 
wise  and  more  civilized  countries,  preventing  truth  from 
diffusing,  through  all  degrees  of  men,  a  pure  and  equal 
light." 

52.  While  investigating  the  baneful  influence  of  to- 
bacco, I  have  been  led  to  consider  the  effects  of  brandy 
and  other  stimulants  on  the  courage  of  the  soldier,  during 
the  last  Russian  war.  It  appears  to  me,  that  the  Rus- 
sians lost  their  di^erent  battles  in  the  Crimea  chiefly 
from  having  served  out  to  them  too  much  brandy  or 
raki,  immediately  before  entering  into  action.  This  was 
especially  remarked  after  the  battle  of  Inkermann.  That 
extraordinarily  intelligent  soldier,  Philip  O'Flaherty,  in 
his  Sketches  of  the  War,  thus  observes,  after  the  battle 
of  Inkermann :  "  We  took  a  good  many  prisoners  who 
were  half-drunk.  It  appears  that  the  authorities  sup- 
plied the  men  plentifully  with  liquor,  in  order  that  they 
might  fight  well.  The  Russians  had  a  great  many  killed 
and  wounded.  The  hills  were  strewn  with  them.'^  This 
intoxicated  condition  of  the  Russians  is  also  described 
in  several  letters  from  the  camp.  Even  our  own  troops, 
about  the  conclusion  of  the  war,  were  becoming  exces- 
sively addicted  to  drinking.  It  may  be  said  that  the 
Russians,  besides  their  prodigal  allowance  of  raki,  were 
often  led  into  action  after  long  forced  marches,  and  in 
an  ill-fed  condition.  Nevertheless,  the  over-dose  of  raki 
would,  in  my  estimation,  detract  from  their  powers  of 
endurance,  instead  of  prolonging  them. 


PRACTICAL    OBSERVATIONS.  46 

53.  Our  prize-fighters  are  not  allowed  stimulants  or 
tobacco,  either  during  the  time  of  their  training,  or  on 
the  day  of  their  battle — not  even  during  their  fighting. 
The  training  of  the  prize-fighter,  with  some  modification, 
appears  admirably  adapted  to  the  rearing  of  soldiers,  es- 
pecially young  recruits.  I  understand  boat-racers,  like 
pugilists,  are  prohibited  tobacco.  See  Lancet  for  2d 
May,  1857.  The  huntsman  who  indulges  in  a  glass  of 
brandy  (jumping  powder)  on  the  morning  of  the  chase, 
does  not  ride  to  hounds  like  the  sober  rider.  The  Iron 
Duke,  or  any  other  true  sportsman,  never  indulged  on 
the  morning  of  a  hunt  with  fox-hounds.  The  hunter, 
or  horse,  gets  only  a  small  feed  of  oats,  on  the  morning 
of  his  going  out  to  hounds.  The  fox-hound  gets  no  food 
on  the  day  of  his  chase.  The  greyhound,  like  the  fox- 
hound, is  fed  the  day  before.  The  race-horse  gets  only 
half  a  feed  of  oats  on  the  morning  of  his  race. 

64.  Thus  men  and  animals,  intended  for  a  hard  day's 
work,  depend  on  the  stamina  acquired  by  previous  train- 
ing, and  not  on  immediate  stimulus.  It  is  evident,  that 
had  mankind  never  indulged  in  stimulants  or  narcotics, 
they  would  have  been  earlier  advanced  in  civilization, 
humanity,  and  morality — would  have  had  stronger  phy- 
sical and  higher  mental  powers.  Let  us  read  only  the 
history  of  the  great  Franklin.  He  who  smokes  and 
drinks  has  his  mind  stupefied,  like  the  opium-eater,  or 
the  wine-bibber,  or  the  brandy,  whisky,  or  ale-drinker. 
It  is  only  what  his  mind  has  previously  learned  that  he 
makes,  or  can  make  use  of.  He  cannot  advance  a  step 
farther. 

55.  The  cases  of  diseased  brain  and  spinal  cord  oc- 
16 


46       tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

curring  in  tobacco-smokers,  afford  strong  proof  that  to- 
bacco, besides  affecting  the  nervous  system  through  the 
medium  of  the  nerves  of  the  nose  and  mouth,  when 
gmoked,  must  also  enter  into  the  circulation  of  the  blood, 
by  being  mixed  with  the  saliva,  and  swallowed,  and  thus 
taken  up  by  the  lacteals  or  absorbents.  The  latter  pro- 
cess must  take  place  in  those  who  use  tobacco  in  the 
form  of  snuff,  as  it  must  often  be  swallowed,  especially 
during  sleep.  It  must  also  occur  in  those  who  chew  or 
quid  the  weed.  The  relaxation  of  the  bowels,  termina- 
ting in  obstinate  diarrhoea,  proves  that  it  passes  down 
the  alimentary  canal  with  the  saliva,  even  in  the  smoker. 

66.  When  nux  vomica,  or  its  alkaloid,  strychnia,  is 
prescribed  in  small  doses,  several  days  elapse  before  its 
effects  on  the  constitution  are  exemplified ;  and,  in  like 
manner,  a  considerable  period  intervenes  before  its  effects 
leave  the  system,  after  it  has  been  discontinued.  The 
same  apparent  result  seems  to  take  place  with  tobacco. 
It  is  evidently  a  cumulative  poison,  as  is  shown  by  its 
ultimately  producing  softening  of  the  brain,  and  fre- 
quently amaurosis. 

57.  In  the  above  view  of  the  action  of  tobacco,  I  am 
supported  by  Mr.  Solly,  in  his  interesting  and  able  Lec- 
ture on  Paralysis,  published  in  the  Lancet  for  the  13th 
December,  1856,  and  of  which  I  have  given  a  brief  ex- 
tsact.  There  is  also  an  interesting  paper  in  the  Lancet 
for  3d  January,  1857,  by  Mr.  Fenn  of  Nayland,  Suffolk, 
wherein  he  states  that  "  he  has  seen  very  mild  cases  of 
typhoid  fever  rendered  fatal  from  the  excessive  use  of 
tobacco."  The  extreme  liability  to  attacks  of  typhus 
fever  is  now  well  ascertained;  for  every  febrile  state, 


PRACTICAL    OBSERVATIONS.  47 

from  the  most  simple,  even  influenza,  is  liable  to  dege- 
nerate into  various  typhoid  forms.  A  fuller  extract  from 
Mr.  Fenn's  paper  I  have  already  given. 

58  The  incurable  nature  of  ulceration  of  the  tongue 
led  me  to  consider  whether  the  poison  might  not  pervade 
the  sanguiniferous  system,  otherwise  why  should  the 
removal  of  the  diseased  mass  by  ligature,  or  thfe  knife, 
prove  unsuccessful  in  eradicating  the  contaminated  tis- 
sue ?     Dr.  B 's  and  Dr.  Tod's  case  of  the  woman's 

tongue,  show  satisfactorily  that  the  teeth  had  nothing  to 

do  in  producing  the  ulcerated  surface.     Dr.  B 's 

case,  and  Dr.  Tod's  case  of  M.  J T 's  demon- 
strate, that  neither  the  knife  nor  the  ligature  had  any 
effect  in  arresting  the  disease ;  and  Sir  Astley  Cooper's 
views  of  the  inutility  of  these  means  in  checking  the 
disease  in  Dr.  B 's  case,  confirm  these — the  consti- 
tution of  the  unfortunate  individual  having  been  poi- 
soned with  the  ensnaring  weed,  through  his  ignorance 
of  the  nature  of  his  hallowed  luxury. 

59.  Representations  have  been  made  of  the  ulcera- 
tion of  the  tongue  as  it  occurred  in  Dr.  B 's  case 

and  also  Mr.  J T ^'s.  I  have  here  to  ac- 
knowledge the  handsome  liberality  of  Dr.  B ,  in 

permitting  me  to  copy  the  interesting  case  of  ^an  afi*ec- 
tionate  friend,  and  the  admirable  sketches  of  the  dis- 
eased tongue,  made  by  that  talented  draughtsman,  Mr. 

James  Stewart.     Dr.  B acknowledges  that  he  was 

an  excessive  smoker  himself  for  years,  until  he  became 
so  nervous,  that  he  could  not  steady  his  hand,  when  he 
"threw  away  tobacco  forever."  Here  I  may  remark, 
how  many  narrow  escapes   of  having   cancer   of  th© 


48       tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

tongue  must  every  smoker  have  had,  when  we  consider 
that  every  one  with  a  disordered  stomach  has  had  on© 
or  more  pimples  on  his  tongue,  which,  had  they  been 

irritated  with  pungent  tobacco  smoke,  as  in  Dr.  B 's 

caso,  would  in  all  probability  have  ended  in  ulceration, 
becoming  cancerous,  and  ending  fatally. 

60.  Although  the  subject  is  yet  far  from  being  ex- 
hausted, "the  tobacco  controversy"  has  nevertheless 
elicited  much  additional  information,  valuable  because 
practical,  as  to  the  effect  of  smoking  on  the  human 
body,  both  in  a  physiological,  pathological,  and  thera- 
peutic aspect.  The  liberal  and  enlightened  policy  of 
the  editor  of  the  Lancet j  by  opening  the  columns  of  his 
journal  as  the  medium  for  impartial  investigation,  de- 
serves the  warmest  expression  of  thanks,  not  less  from 
the  profession  than  the  public ;  and  I  make  no  apology 
for  availing  myself  of  the  many  interesting  contributions 
which  have  there  appeared  on  the  subject. 

61.  Experience  is  the  only  test  to  confirm  the  deci- 
sions of  truth,  and  refute  the  errors  of  mere  authority. 
But  its  verdict  unfortunately  is  in  many  cases  injuriously 
delayed,  in  consequence  of  long-protracted  and  mislead- 
ing exculpatory  pleadings.  "  The  evil  that  men  do  lives 
after  them;  the  good  is  oft  interred  tcith  their  boties;" 
and  this  holds  equally  true  with  the  customs,  habits,  etc. 
of  a  country.  The  evils  these  occasion,  live  after  them. 
Their  extent  and  magnitude  are  only  known  after  they 
have  become  so  apparent  that  they  cannot  longer  be  de- 
nied. And  if  the  controversy  evoked  on  the  injurious 
effects  of  excessive  smoking,  should  gradually  arrest  the 
progress  of  so  dangerous  a  luxury,  and  sensibly  diminish 


PRACTICAL    OBSERVATIONS.  49 

a  mischief  wWcli  is  unlimited,  in  a  certain  sense,  almost 
either  as  to  extent  or  duration,  the  author  will  rest  satis- 
fied that  his  own  exertions,  with  the  powerful  co-opera- 
tion which  he  has  received  from  others,  have  not  been 
in  vain.  He  would  earnestly  indeed  rejoice,  if  the  na- 
tional authorities  here  would  adopt  the  same  regulations 
which  obtain  in  Switzerland.  There,  we  are  told,  "  that 
the  Governing  Council  of  the  Canton  of  Berne  have  just 
enacted,  that  young  men  who  are  as  yet  unconfirmed 
(confirmation  is  administered  in  Switzerland  between 
the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth  year)  are  prohibited  from 
using  tobacco."  As  the  Council  came  to  this  determi- 
nation in  consequence  of  their  belief  in  the  deleterious 
efiects  of  tobacco  on  the  human  frame,  it  seems  equally 
to  be  the  duty  of  the  Council  to  extend  their  regulations, 
by  a  general  prohibition,  when  they  consider  that  the 
health  of  the  community  is  injured  by  the  use  of  tobacco. 
62.  I  consider  it  my  duty  to  append  Dr.  Hassall's  truly 
valuable  and  warning  remarks  on  tobacco  smoking  —  to 
whose  long  and  truly  invaluable  practical  labors  in  the 
field,  as  well  as  by  his  writings  on  "  adulterations  de- 
tected," the  nation  owes  a  debt  of  gratitude  which  never 
can  be  repaid.  "  Tobacco  owes  its  chief  properties  to 
the  presence  of  two  active  principles,  termed  nicotina 
and  nicotianin.  The  first  of  these,  nicotina,  is  thus 
characterized :  It  is  liquid  and  volatile,  with  an  acrid 
burning  taste,  and  possesses  the  strong  odor  of  tobacco; 
to  test-paper,  it  shows  an  alkaline  reaction ;  water,  ether, 
alcohol,  and  the  oils  dissolve  it.  It  combines  with  va- 
rious organic  and  inorganic  acids  to  form  salts.  1000 
grains  of  tobacco  yield,  according  to  the  kind  used,  from 
D 


50       tobacco:  its   use  and  abuse. 

3.86  to  11.28  grains  of  nicotina.  The  action  of  nicotinsi 
on  thiB  human  frame  is  that  of  an  acrid,  narcotic  poison, 
causing  giddiness  and  vomiting,  and,  in  doses  of  a  few 
grains,  death.  ^ 

"  The  proT^erties  of  the  latter,  nicotianin,  are  as  fol- 
low :  It  is  a  concrete  oily  substance,  having  the  smell 
of  tobacco,  and  a  bitter  taste.  It  is  volatile;  the  dilute 
acids  and  water  do  not  dissolve  it,  but  it  is  soluble  in 
liquor  potassse  and  ether.  In  swallowing  nicotianin,  the 
same  sensation  is  produced  on  the  tongue  and  fauces  as 
by  tobacco.  A  grain  administered  internally,  quickly 
caused  giddiness,  nausea,  and  retching.  It  also  produces 
sneezing  when  applied  to  the  nose.  Six  pounds  of  to- 
bacco leaves  furnish  about  eleven  grains  of  nicotianin. 
It  is  also  known  as  '  concrete  oil  of  tobacco^  and  '■  tohacco 
camphor.' 

"  Both  these  active  principles  and  constituents  have 
been  shown,  by  Zeise  and  Melsens,  to  be  present  in  the 
smoke  of  tobacco :  they  are,  therefore,  undoubtedly  not  de- 
stroyed by  the  combustion  of  the  tobacco,  whether  used 
in  the  form  of  cut  tobacco  or  cigars ;  but  in  the  act  of 
smoking  they  are  inhaled,  and  thus  drawn  into  the  mcmth, 
fauces,  lungs,  and  even  the  stomach,  especially  when  the 
saliva,  impregnated  with  the  tobacco  smoke,  is  swallowed. 
Further,  that  these  active  constituents  are  actually  ab- 
sorbed, and  make  their  way  into  the  system,  is  proved 
from  the  sickness,  giddiness,  and  death-like  faintness 
experienced  by  those  who  are  unaccustomed  to  smoking; 
that  they  are  absorbed  to  some  degree,  if  not  to  the  same 
extent,  in  the  case  of  habitual  smokers  of  tobacco,  is  un- 
questionable —  the  diflFerence  in  the  efifects  experienced 


PRACTICAL    OBSERVATIONS.  51 

being  due  to  the  circumstance  of  the  system  becoming 
more  inured  to  its  use,  and  therefore  less  susceptible  of 
its  influence.'' 

63.  In  a  moral  and  physical  point  of  view,  the  im- 
portance of  the  inquiry  cannot  be  over-estimated.  The 
strongest  proof  of  this,  is  attested  by  the  fact,  that,  du- 
ring last  year,  not  less  than  twenty-ei^ht  million  lbs. 
(28,000,000)  of  tobacco  were  consumed  in  Great  Bri- 
tain, exclusive  of  the  large  portion  smuggled,  which  can- 
not be  estimated. 

64.  A  vast  load  of  responsibility  is  devolved  upon  the 
members  of  the  medical  profession,  who  are,  if  not  the 
sole,  by  far  the  most  competent  section  of  the  commu- 
nity to  pronounce  a  judgment  on,  and  solve  so  important 
an  inquiry.  So  far  as  the  discussion  has  progressed,  the 
three  following  dOTuctions  have  been  indisputably  esta- 
blished by  unquestionable  medical  testimony : 

Ist.  That  excessive  smoking,  long  persisted  in,  is  in- 
jurious to  man  in  the  highest  degree  —  physically,  men- 
tally, and  morally, 

2dlt/.  That  the  commencement  of  smoking  in  early 
life,  and  indulgence  in  the  practice  early  in  the  day, 
cannot  be  too  strongly  condemned,  as  leading  to  most 
pernicious  effects  on  the  constitution. 

3c%.  That  smoking,  even  in  what  is  called  a  moderate 
degree,  is,  to  say  the  very  least  of  it,  indirectly  injurious, 
more  especially  to  the  young;  because  it  is  not  denied, 
it  acts  as  an  inducement  to  drinking  —  thus  becoming 
the  source  of  intemperance,  and  all  its  accompanying 
evils.  It  is  notorious  that  the  practices  are,  almost 
without  exception,  inseparably  associated.     The  remark 


52   tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

has  become  a  maxim:  "Smoking  induces  drinking^ 
drinking  jaundicO;  and  jaundice  death." 

65.  If  insurance  companies  would  act  upon  Mr.  Soll/s 

test the  peculiar  morbid  condition  of  the  palate  and 

fauces  as  proving  inveterate  smoking  —  and  raise  the 
annual  premiums  to  smokers  in  whom  such  appearances 
were  detected,  as  on  hazardous  insurances,  the  practice 
of  smoking  might  receive  that  great  and  salutary  check, 
from  motives  of  self-interest,  which  admonition  and 
warning,  as  to  the  evils  resulting  from  the  noxious  weed, 
have  failed  to  effect :  and  the  detection,  by  Mr.  Ericii::en, 
of  the  mixture  of  so  many  deleterious  and  poisonous 
ingredients  in  the  manufacture  of  snuff,  it  is  to  be  ex- 
pected, may,  in  like  manner,  operate  upon  the  selfish  feel- 
ings of  the  snuffer,  and  powerfully^Tic?  to  root  out  }j^A 
disgusting  habit. 


COMMUNICATIONS  AND    EXTRACTS.        53 


CHAPTER  III. 

COMMUNICATIONS   AND   EXTRACTS. 

66.  In  his  valuable  work  on  the  "  Nature  and  Treat- 
ment of  Stomach  and  Urinary  Diseases,"  Dx.  Prout,  at 
pages  24  and  25,  observes :  ^*  There  is  an  article  much 
used  in  various  ways,  though  not  as  an  aliment,  the 
deleterious  eiSects  of  whigh  on  the  assimilating  organs, 
&c.,  require  to  be  briefly  noticed,  viz.,  tobacco.  Although 
confessedly  one  of  the  most  virulent  poisons  in  nature, 
yet  such  is  the  fascinating  influence  of  this  noxious 
weed,  that  mankind  resort  to  it  in  every  mode  they  can 
devise,  to  ensure  its  stupefying  and  pernicious  agency. 
Tobacco  disorders  the  assimilating  functions  in  general, 
but  particularly  as  I  believe,  the  assimilation  of  the  sac- 
charine principle.  I  have  never,  indeed,  been  able  to 
trace  the  development  of  oxalic  acid  to  the  use  of  to- 
bacco ;  but  that  some  analogous  and  equally  poisonous 
principle  (probably  of  an  acid  nature,)  is  generated  in 
certain  individuals  by  its  abuse,  is  evident  from  their 
cachectic  looks,  and  from  the  dark  and  often  greenish- 
yellow  tint  of  their  blood.  The  severe  and  peculiar 
dyspeptic  symptoms  sometimes  produced  by  inveterate 
snufi-taking  are  well  known;  and  I  have  more  than  once 
Been  such  cases  terminate  fatally  with  malignant  disease 
of  the  stomach  and  Uver.    Great  smokers,  also^  esjpe* 


54   tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

cially  those  who  employ  short  pipes  and  cigars,  are  sai^ 
to  be  liable  to  cancerous  affections  of  the  lips.  But  it 
happens  with  tobacco,  as  with  deleterious  articles  of 
diet,  the  strong  and  healthy  suffer  comparatively  little, 
while  the  weak  and  predisposed  to  disease  fall  victims 
to  its  poisonous  operation.  Surely,  if  the  dictates  of 
reason  were  allowed  to  prevail,  an  article  so  injurious  to 
the  health,  and  so  offensive  in  all  its  forms  and  modes 
of  employment,  would  speedily  be  banished  from  com- 
mon use." 

67.  Professor  Petit-Radel  is  said  to  have  died  of  cancer 
of  the  pylorus,  consequent  on  smoking  tobacco. 

68.  Bouissiron  states  that  he  has  seen  many  smokers 
perish  of  atrophy. 

69.  Pereira,  in  his  valuable  work  on  Chemistry  and 
Materia  Medica,  page  1426,  states,  that  "  Nicotina  is  an 
energetic  poison,  almost  equalling  in  activity  hydrocy- 
anic acid." 

70.  In  the  Dictionnaire  des  Sciences  Medicales  for 
1821,  two  brothers  are  said  to  have  smoked  until  they 
died  of  apoplexy — the  one  after  smoking  seventeen 
pipes,  the  other  eighteen  pipes.  Fourcroy  cites  several 
instances  of  the  destructive  effects  of  tobacco  in  his 
translation  of  Ramazzani.  The  little  daughter  of  a  to- 
bacco merchant  died  in  frightful  convulsions,  from 
having  slept  in  a  chamber  where  a  great  quantity  of 
tobacco  had  been  rasped.  An  intoxicated  soldier  swal- 
lowed his  saliva  impregnated  with  tobacco,  awoke  in 
strong  convulsions,  and  nearly  became  insane.  I  have 
strong  suspicions  that  such  a  melancholy  event  as  the 
latter  must  have  occurred  frequently. 


COMMUNICATIONS  AND    EXTRACTS.        55 

71.  Orfila,  in  his  General  System  of  Toxicology,  1817, 
Vol.  II.,  page  211,  quotes  the  following  experiments  to 
show  the  poisonous  qualities  of  tobacco  :  "  Sir  Benjamin 
Brodie  injected  into  the  rectum  of  several  dogs,  and  one 
cat,  from  one  to  four  ounces  of  a  strong  infusion  of  to- 
bacco ;  these  animals  became  insensible,  motionless,  and 
all  died  in  less  than  ten  minutes ;  the  pulsations  of  the 
heart  were  no  more  sensible  a  minute  before  death;  one 
of  them  only  vomited.  Their  bodies  were  opened  imme- 
diately after  death ;  the  heart  was  very  much  distended, 
and  no  longer  contracted." 

72.  Sir  B.  Brodie  states  in  his  Physiological  Eesearches, 
published  in  1851,  under  Efifects  of  Vegetable  Poison^ : 
"  We  may  conclude  from  these  experiments,  that  the 
empyreumatic  oil  of  tobacco  occasions  death,  by  destroy- 
ing the  functions  of  the  brain,  without  directly  acting  on 
the  circulation.  In  other  words,  its  effects  are  similar 
to  those  of  alcohol,  the  juice  of  aconite,  and  the  essential 
oil  of  almonds." 

73.  In  volume  seventh  of  the  Biographical  Dictionary, 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Rose,  under  the  life  of  iiichard  Fletcher, 
Bishop  of  London,  informs  us,  that  "  he  (the  Bishop) 
was  very  fond  of  tobacco,  then  little  known,  and  that 
Camden  imputes  his  death  to  the  immoderate  use  of  it." 
And  Camden,  in  his  Annals,  3d  edition,  p.  469,  transla- 
tion, states  that  "  Richard  Fletcher,  Bishop  of  London, 
a  courtly  prelate,  who,  while  by  immoderate  use  of  to- 
bacco he  smothered  the  cares  he  took  by  means  of  his 
unlucky  marriage,  and  by  the  Queen  misliked  (who  did 
not  so  well  like  of  married  bishops),  breathed  out  hia 
life."     The  Bishop  died  in  1596. 


56        tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

74.  Dr.  Cleland^  in  his  treatise  on  the*  Properties 
Chemical  and  Medical,  of  Tobacco,  states  that  "  the  cir- 
cumstance which  induced  Amurath  the  Fourth  to  be  so 
strict  in  punishing  tobacco  smokers,  was  the  dread  which 
he  entertained  of  the  population  being  thereby  dimin- 
ished, from  the  antiphrodisiac  property  which  he  sup- 
posed tobacco  to  possess" — vide  Cleland  on  the  History 
and  Properties,  Chemical  and  Medical,  of  Tobacco,  p.  G. 
If,  as  I  understand,  Amurath  is  synonymous  with  Mourad, 
the  antiphrodisiac  properties  of  tobacco  must  have  been 
a  subject  of  credence  and  observation  so  early  as  the  first 
part  of  the  seventeenth  century,  the  period  of  the  reign 
of  the  fourth  Amurath  or  Mourad,  extending  from  1622- 
to  1640. 

The  Counter-blast  of  King  James  had  considerably 
preceded  the  prohibitory  punishment  against  the  use  of 
tobacco  by  the  Ottoman  Sultan. 

75.  The  injurious  properties  of  tobacco  are  determined 
by  the  following  analysis  of  its  chemical  constituents  by 
Professor  Johnston,  of  Durham,  in  his  Chemistry  of 
Common  Life  :  "TThese  are  three  in  number :  a  volatile 
oil,  a  volatile  alkali,  and  an  empyreumatic  oil."  .... 
"  The  volatile  oil  has  the  odor  of  tobacco,  and  possesses 
a  bitter  taste.  On  the  mouth  and  throat  it  produces  a 
sensation  similar  to  that  caused  by  tobacco  smoke.  When 
applied  to  the  nose,  it  occasions  sneezing,  and  when  taken 
internally,  it  gives  rise  to  giddiness,  nausea,  and  an  in- 
clination to  vomit."  "  The  volatile  alkali  has  the  odor 
of  tobacco,  an  acrid,  burning,  long-continuing  tobacco 
taste,  and  possesses  narcotic  and  very  poisonous  quali- 
ties.    In  this  latter  respect,  it  is  scarcely  inferior  to 


COMMUNICATIONS    AND    EXTRACTS.       57 

prussic  acid — a  single  drop  being  sufficient  to  kill  a  dog. 
Its  vapor  is  so  irritating,  that  it  is  difficult  to  breathe  in 
a  room  in  which  a  single  drop  has  been  evaporated.  The 
reader  may  recollect  the  great  sensation  produced  in 
1851,  by  the  trial  of  the  Comte  de  Bocarm^,  at  Mons, 
and  his  subsequent  execution,  for  poisoning  his  brother- 
in  law  with  nicotin.  A  hundred  pounds  of  the  dry  to- 
bacco-leaf yield  about  seven  pounds  of  nicotin.  In 
smoking  a  hundred  grains  of  tobacco,  therefore,  say  a 
quarter  of  an  ounce,  there  may  be  drawn  into  the  mouth 
two  grains  or  more  of  one  of  the  most  subtle  of  all  known 
poisons''  " The  empyreumatic  oil  is  acrid  and  disagree- 
able to  the  taste,  narcotic,  and  poisonous.  One  drop  ap- 
plied to  the  tongua|of  a  cat  brought  on  convulsions,  and 
in  two  minutes  occasioned  death.  The  Hottentots  are 
said  to  kill  snakes  by  putting  a  drop  of  it  on  their 
tongues.  Under  its  influence,  the  reptiles  die  as  in- 
stantaneously as  if  killed  by  an  electric  shock.  It  ap- 
pears to  act  nearly  in  the  same  way  as  prussic  acid." 

"The  crude  oil  is  supposed  to  be  the  juice  of  the 
cursed  hebenon,"  described  by  Shakspeare  as  a  distil* 
ment. 

"Sleeping  within  mine  orchard, 
My  custom  ^ways  of  the  afternoon, 
Upon  my  secure  hour  thy  uncle  stole, 
With  juice  of  cursed  hebanon  in  a  vial, 
And  in  the  porches  of  mine  ear  did  pour 
The  leperous  distillment:  whose  effect 
Holds  such  an  enmity  with  blood  of  man, 
That,  swift  as  quicksilver,  it  courses  through 
The  natural  gates  and  alleys  o^  the  body; 
And  with  a  sudden  vigour  it  doth  posset 
And  curd,  like  eager  droppings  into  milk. 


58       tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse- 

The  thin  and  wholesome  blood;  so  did  it  minej 
And  a  most  instant  tetter  bark'd  about, 
Most  lazar-like,  with  vile  and  loathsome  crust, 
All  my  smooth  body." 

Hamlet  —  Act  i.,  Scene  r. 

"The  cigar,  especially  if  smoked  to  the  end,  dis- 
charges directly  into  the  mouth  of  the  smoker  every- 
thing that  is  produced  by  the  burning.  Thus,  the  more 
rapidly  the  leaf  burns  and  the  smoke  is  inhaled,  the 
greater  the  proportion  of  the  poisonous  substances  which 
is  drawn  into  the  mouth.  And  finally,  when  the  saliva 
is  retained,  the  fullest  effect  of  all  the  three  narcotio 
ingredients  of  the  smoke  will  be  produced  upon  the 
nervous  system  of  the  smoker.  It  is  not  surprising, 
therefore,  that  those  who  have  been  alRistomed  to  smoke 
cigars,  especially  of  strong  tobacco,  should  find  any  other 
pipe  both  tame  and  tasteless,  except  the  short  black 
cutty ^  which  has  lately  come  into  favor  among  invete- 
rate smokers.  Such  persons  live  in  an  almost  constant 
state  of  narcotism  or  narcotic  drunkenness,  which  must 
ultimately  afi"ect  the  health  even  of  the  strongest. 

"  The  chewer  of  tobacco,  it  will  be  understood  from 
the  above  description,  does  not  experience  the  efi"ects  of 
the  poisonous  oil  which  is  produced  ^uring  the  burning 
of  the  leaf.  The  natural  volatile  oil  and  the  nicotin  are 
the  substances  which  act  upon  him.  These,  from  the 
quantity  of  them  which  he  involuntarily  swallows  or  ab- 
sorbs, impair  his  appetite,  and  gradually  weaken  his 
powers  of  digestion. 

''  The  same  remarks  apply  to  the  taker  of  snuff.  But 
tis  drug  is  still  milder  than  that  of  the  chewer.    During 


COMMUNICATIONS    AND    EXTRACTS.       59 

tlie  first  f(;rmentation  which  the  leaf  undergoes  in  pre- 
paring it  for  the  manufacturer  of  snuff,  and  again  during 
the  second  fermentation,  after  it  is  ground,  a  large  pro- 
portion of  the  nicotin  escapes,  or  is  decomposed.  The 
ammonia  produced  during  these  fermentations  is  partly 
the  result  of  this  decomposition.  Further,  the  artificial 
drying  or  roasting  to  which  tobacco  is  exposed  in  fitting 
it  for  the  dry  snuffs,  expels  a  portion  of  the  natural  vola- 
tile oil,  as  well  as  an  additional  portion  of  the  natural 
volatile  alkali  or  nicotin.  Manufactured  snuff,  therefore, 
as  it  is  drawn  up  into  the  nose,  and  especially  dried  snuff, 
is  much  less  rich  in  actiye  ingredients  than  the  natural 
leaf  Even  the  rappees,  though  generally  made  from 
the  strongest  Virginian  and  European  tobaccoes,  con- 
taining five  or  six  per  cent,  of  nicotin,  retain  only  two 
per  cent,  when  fully  manufactured." 

76.  The  following  extracts  are  from  King  James's 
"Counterblast  to  Tobacco,"  pp.  213-222  — a  work  from 
its  rarity  inaccessible  to  the  general  reader,  and  which 
may  be  considered  not  uninteresting  by  many,  consider- 
ing the  character  of  the  royal  author,  and  the  early 
period  at  which  his  remarks  were  published,  nearly  two 
centuries  and  a  half  ago : 

"In  my  opinion,"  says  the  royal  commentator,  "there 
cannot  be  a  more  base  and  yet  more  hurtful  corruption 
in  a  country,  than  is  the  vile  use  (or  rather  abuse)  of 
taking  tobacco  in  this  kingdom,  which  hath  moved  me 
shortly  to  discover  the  abuses  thereof  in  the  following 
little  pamphlet."  In  the  Counterblast  to  Tobacco,  he 
remarks  :  "  That  the  manifold  abuses  of  this  vile  custom 
of  Tobacco-taking  may  the  better  be  espied,  it  is  fit^ 


60      tobacco:   its   use   and   abuse. 

that  you  first  enter  into  consideration,  both  of  the  first 
originall  thereof  and  likewise  of  the  reasons  of  the  first 
entry  thereof  in  o  this  country.  For  certainly,  as  such 
customs  that  have  their  first  institution,  either  from  a 
godly,  necessary,  or  honourable  ground,  and  are  first 
brought  in  by  the  means  of  some  worthy,  vertuous,  and 
great  personage,  are  ever  and  most  justly  holden  in  great 
and  reverend  estimation  and  account,  by  all  wise,  vir- 
tuous, and  temperate  spirits,  so  should  it  by  the  con- 
trary, justly  bring  a  disgrace  into  that  sort  of  customs, 
which  having  their  originall  from  base  corruption  and 
barbarity,  do  in  like  sort  make  their  first  entry  into  a 
country,  by  an  inconsiderate  and  childish  afi"eetation  of 
novelty,  as  is  the  true  case  of  the  first  invention  of 
Tobacco-taking,  and  of  the  first  entry  thereof  among 
us.  For  Tobacco  was  first  found  out  by  some  of  the 
jaarbarous  Indians.'' 

"  Tobacco  is,  as  you  use  or  rather  abuse  it,  a  branch 
of  the  sin  of  drunkenness,  which  is  the  root  of  all  sins." 
"  To  take  a  custom  in  anything  that  cannot  be  left  again, 
is  most  harmful  to  the  people  of  any  land.  Mollicies 
and  delicacy  were  the  wreck  and  overthrow,  first  of  the 
Persian  and  next  of  the  Roman  empire.  And  this  very 
custom  of  taking  Tobacco  is  even  at  this  day  accounted 
60  effeminate  among  the  Indians  themselves,  as  in  the 
market  they  will  offer  no  price  for  a  slave  to  be  sold, 
whom  they  find  to  be  a  great  tobacco-taker." 

"  Is  it  not  a  great  vanity,  that  a  man  cannot  heartily 
welcome  his  friend  now,  but  straight  they  must  be  in 
band  with  tobacco ;  no,  it  is  become  'v^  P^^ce  of  a  cure,  a 
point  of  good  fellowship,  and  he  that  ^\])  'efuse  to  tak» 


COMMUNICATIONS  AND    EXTBACTS.        61 

a  pipe  of  tobacco  among  his  fellows  (though  by  his  own 
election  he  would  rather  feel  the  savour  of  a  sinke),  is 
accounted  peevish  and  no  good  company,  even  as  they 
do  with  tippling  in  the  cold  eastern  countries.  Yea,  th« 
mistress  cannot  in  a  more  mannerly  kind  entertain  her 
servant,  than  by  giving  her,  out  of  her  fair  hand,  a  pipe 
of  tobacco." 

"  Moreover,  which  is  a  great  iniquity  and  against  all 
humanity,  the  husband  shall  not  be  ashamed  to  reduce 
thereby  his  delicate,  wholesome,  and  clean-complexioned 
wife  to  that  extremity,  that  either  she  must  also  corrupt 
her  sweet  breath  therewith,  or  else  resolve  to  live  in  a 
perpetual  stinking  torment." 

He  concludes  thus  in  reference  to  smoking :  '^  Have 
you  not  reason  then  to  be  ashamed,  and  to  forbear  this 
filthy  novelty,  so  basely  grounded,  so  foolishly  received, 
and  so  grossly  mistaken,  in  the  right  use  thereof."  "A 
custom  loathsome  to  the  eye,  hateful  to  the  nose,  harmful 
to  the  brain,  dangerous  to  the  lungs,  and  in  the  black, 
stinking  fume  thereof,  nearest  resembling  the  horrible 
Stygian  smoke  of  the  pit  that  is  bottomless." 

Vide  "  Workes  of  the  Most  High  and  Mightie  Prince 
James,  by  the  grace  of  God,  King  of  Great  Britain," 
&c.,  1616. 

77.  The  following  extract  is  from  an  able  article  on 
the  United  States,  which  appeared  in  the  London  Spec- 
tator of  July  5th,  1856  : 

"  We  have  been  long  familiar  with  the  fact,  that  the 
manners  and  social  habits  of  Americans  are  not  to  our 
taste,  and  that  few  persons  who  could  obtain  a  respect- 
able maintenance  in  Europe,  would  find  the  change  to 
16 


62   tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

the  United  States  a  change  for  the  better.  .  .  . 
It  is  in  startling  contrast  with  our  ordinary  train  o.f 
thought  about  the  United  States,  to  hear  it  even  whis- 
pered as  a  possibility,  that  the  race  of  men  which  inhabit 
the  country  is  undergoing  a  process  of  physical  and 
moral  degeneracy;  that  the  symptoms  we  have  been 
accustomed  to  consider  as  evidences  of  growth  are  really 
proofs  of  decay;  that  the  people  are,  like  medlars,  rotten 
before  they  are  ripe ;  and  that  a  premature  senility  is 
the  true  characteristic  of  the  great  Anglo-Celtic  Republic 
of  the  West.  That  such  a  theory  should  have  been 
started,  gives  one  a  shock,  which  does  not  pass  off  when 
the  facts  upon  which  it  professes  to  rest  are  calmly  con- 
sidered. It  is  said,  for  instance,  that  the  bulk  of  Ameri- 
cans live  thoroughly  unwholesome  lives;  consuming 
inordinate  quantities  of  spirituous  liquors  from  youth 
upward,  and  at  all  hours  of  the  day  smoking  and  chcicing 
tobacco  to  excessj  eating  greedily,  and  giving  themselves 
no  time  to  digest  their  food,  always  in  a  bustle  and  ex- 
citement, enjoying  neither  quiet  nor  rational  recreation, 
nor  domestic  peace.  And  how  few  Americans  has  any 
EngTishman  known  of  whom  he  could  say,  that  they 
were  genial  or  happy !  what  an  anxious,  nervous,  hag- 
gard ex2'>ression  of  /ace,  is  that  hy  which  ice,  instinctively 
recognize  a  Yankee  everywhere!  how  completely  the 
manner,  and  countenance,  and  figure  of  the  typical 
Yankee  answer  to  this  account  of  the  usual  life  of  the 

people  ! AVhat  if  the  bad  habits  of  men 

and  women,  acting  with  a  climate  that  tends  to  exhaust 
vitality,  should  really  in  a  few  generations  have  produced 
a  palpable  inferiority  of  physique  ?     The  positive  asser- 


COMMUNICATIONS   AND    EXTRACTS.        63 

tion  of  this  degeneration  would  indeed  be  most  unphilo- 
Bopliical,  on   a  basis  of  facts   such   as   are   patent   to 
common  observation ;  but  that  these  facts  are  patent,  is 
sufficient  to  excite  the  alarm   and   sharpen   the    self- 
watchfulness  of  all  classes  of  Americans,  who  can  look 
forward  to  the  tremendous  consequences  of  a  degrada- 
tion of  the  national  nerve  and  muscle,  through  intempe- 
rance and  had  habits  of  living.     ......     The 

ftishionable  classes  of  American  society  are  more  noto- 
rious for  their  luxury  than  for  their  refinement  or 
ambition." 

78.  I  am  given  to  understand  that  there  exists  a  rule 
among  a  large  and  influential  religious  sect,  when  a 
student  presents  himself  as  a  candidate  for  examination 
for  ordination,  which  compels  him  to  answer,  Whethei 
he  smokes  tobacco,  or  uses  it  in  any  form  ?  If  he  con- 
fesses he  does  so,  he  is  remitted  to  his  studies  until  he 
gives  it  up,  and  can  aver  that  he  has  ^'  thrown  away  to- 
bacco for  ever." 

79.  The  great  Wesley,  I  believe,  first  suggested  the 
rule,  which  still  obtains,  that  no  minister  connected  with 
the  Wesleyan  body  should  use  snuff  or  tobacco,  unless 
prescribed  by  a  physician. 

80.  Adam  Clarke,  LL.  D.,  a  Methodist  divine,  pub- 
lished in  1837,  among  his  detached  pieces,  a  dissertation 
on  "  the  Use  and  Abuse  of  Tobacco."  It  is  unnecessary 
for  me  to  enter  at  present  into  a  formal  criticism  of  hia 
treatise,  but  in  referring  to  such  authority  in  support  of 
*ny  views,  I  may  be  permitted  to  quote  the  following 
case.  At  page  29,  he  says  :  '^A  person  of  my  acquaint- 
ance, who  had  been  an  immoderate  snufiF-taker  for  u^ 


64  TOBACCO.    ITS    USE  AND   ABUSE 

wards  of  forty  years,  was  frequently  afflicted  with  a 
sudden  suppression  of  breathing,  occasioned  by  a  para- 
lytic state  of  the  muscles  which  serve  for  respiration. 
These  aiTections  grew  more  and  more  alarming,  and 
seriously  threatened  her  life.  The  only  relief  she  got  in 
such  cases,  was  from  a  cup  of  cold  water  poured  down 
her  throat.  This  became  so  necessary  to  her,  that  she 
could  never  venture  to  attend  even  a  place  of  worship, 
without  having  a  small  vessel  of  water  with  her,  and  a 
friend  to  administer  it.  At  last  she  left  off  snuff;  the 
muscles  re-acquired  their  proper  tone,  and,  in  a  short 
time  after,  she  was  entirely  cured  of  a  disorder,  occa- 
sioned solely  by  her  attachment  to  the  snuff-box,  and  to 
which  she  had  nearly  fallen  a  victim." 

81,  Anton,  in  his  interesting  "  Retrospect  of  a  Mili- 
tary Life,"  relates  the  death  of  one  of  the  sergeants  of 
the  42d  Regiment  from  smoking  tobacco,  which  appa- 
rently had  induced  apoplexy.  See  page  154.  On  con- 
versing with  Mr.  Anton,  he  states  that  the  sergeant  was 
an  excessive  smoker  of  the  weed. 

82.  The  Paris  correspondent  of  the  New  Orleans  Pica- 
yune, in  recording  the  death  of  the  poet  Berat,  says: 
"  Berat  was  not  forty-five  years  old.  He,  too,  was  slain 
by  that  disease  which  is  so  fell  a  destroyer  to  our  con- 
temporaries, and  especially  to  Frenchmen — the  softening 
of  the  spinal  marrow.  Trousseau  attributes  to  the  ex- 
cessive use  of  tobacco  the  fatal  effects  on  the  nervous 
system.  Roger  Collard,  who  died  in  the  dawn  of  a 
most  brilliant  career,  some  three  years  ago,  of  this  ter- 
rible disease,  attributed  his  untimely  end  to  his  cigar. 
Count  D'Orsay  was  another  Tictim  of  this  disease,  and 


COMMUNICATIONS  AND   EXTRACTS.       65 

his  death  made  a  profound  impression  on  the  Emperor^ 
who  at  once  sent  his  physician,  Bretonneau,  to  whom 
the  Count  complained  of  fatigue  in  all  his  members  — 
of  enervation.  Dr.  Bretonneau  replied,  ^You  surely 
smoke  some  twelve  or  fifteen  cigars  a-day.  Smoke  less. 
Abstain,  if  you  can,  altogether  from  smoking,  and  you 
will  end  these  symptoms  of  weakness  and  enervation.'  " 

83.  In  the  able  Clinical  Lecture  of  Mr.  Solly,  Surgeon 
of  St.  Thomas's  Hospital,  on  Paralysis,  there  occurs  the 
following  statement : 

"  There  was  another  habit,  also,  in  which  my  patient 
indulged,  and  which  I  cannot  but  regard  as  the  curse 
of  the  present  age  —  I  mean  smoking.  Now,  don't  be 
frightened,  my  young  friends,  I  am  not  going  to  give  a 
sermon  against  smoking — that  is  not  my  business;  but 
it  is  my  business  to  point  out  to  you  all  the  various  and 
insidious  causes  of  general  paralysis,  and  smoking  is  one 
of  them.  I  know  of  no  single  vice  which  does  so  much 
harm  as  smoking.  It  is  a  sjiare  and  a  delusion.  It 
soothes  the  excited  nervous  system  at  the  time,  to  render 
it  more  irritable  and  more  feeble  ultimately.  It  is  like 
opium  in  that  respect ;  and  if  yoii  want  to  know  all  the 
wretchedness  which  this  drug  can  produce,  you  should 
read  the  ^  Confessions  of  an  Opium-eater.'  I  can  always 
distinguish  by  his  complexion  a  man  who  smokes  much; 
and  the  appearance  which  the  fauces  present,  is  an  un- 
erring guide  to  the  habits  of  such  a  man.  I  believe 
that  cases  of  general  paralysis  are  more  frequent  in 
England  than  they  used  to  be,  and  I  suspect  that 
smoking  tobacco  is  one  of  the  causes  of  that  increase.** 
•—  Vide  Lancet  for  ISth  December,  1856,  page  641. 
E 


66       tobacco:   its  use  and  abuse. 

84.  I  lately  visited  a  gentleman  in  a  Lunatic  Asylum, 
laboring  under  general  paralysis,  and  his  mind  becoming 
idiotical.  On  corresponding  with  his  former  medical 
attendant,  I  understand  his  habits  were,  that  he  lived 
temperately  as  regarded  drink,  but  worked  hard  in  a 
mercantile  house,  and  smoked  to  excess;  the  phrase  he 
makes  use  of  is  —  that  "he  blazed  away  at  a  fearful 
rate." 

85.  In  Dr.  "William  Henderson's  work  on  "Plain 
Rules  for  Improving  Health,"  second  edition,  pages  87, 
88,  89,  and  261,  there  are  cases  of  dyspepsia,  palpita- 
tion of  the  heart,  of  insanity,  etc.  produced  by  using 
tobacco.  One  gentleman,  "  from  having  been  one  of  the 
most  healthy  and  fearless  men,  became  one  of  the  most 
timid.  He  could  not  present  a  petition,  much  less  say 
a  word  concerning  it,  though  he  was  a  practising  lawyer. 
He  was  afraid  to  be  left  alone  at  night." 

In  the  cases  of  insanity  mentioned  by  him,  the  patients 
"had  used  tobacco  to  excess,  though  perfectly  temperate 
otherwise,  as  regarded  drink." 

The  reader  is  referred  to  pages  18  and  52,  for  further 
information  on  mau^. 

86.  In  the  Lancet  for  3d  January,  1857,  Mr.  Fenn 
thus  describes  the  result  of  his  investigations  on  the 
effects  of  tobacco : 

"  Tobacco,"  says  he,  "  has  the  effect  of  relaxing  the 
skin  and  mucous  membranes,  causing  the  latter  to  pour 
out  their  secretions  more  freely,  and  to  shed  the  epithe- 
lium more  rapidly  j  at  the  same  time,  the  sensibility  of 
the  nervous  system  is  greatly  depressed,  and  the  vital 
force  diminished.     On  account  of  its  softening  and  re- 


COMMUNICATIONS    AND    EXTRACTS.       67 

laxing  effect  upon  the  mucous  membrane  of  the  bowels, 
it  is  greatly  resorted  to  in  habitual  constipation.  But 
it  will  be  seen  that^is  weakening  influence  is  exerted 
upon  the  organ  liable  to  be  most  seriously  affected  in 
typhoid  fever,  and  very  frequently  is  the  predisposing 
cause  of  the  uncontrollable  diarrhoea  and  haemorrhage 
which  occur  in  such  cases.  /  have  seen  very  rtiild  oases 
of  typhoid  fever  rendered  fatal,  from  the  excessive  use 
of  tobacco,  either  from  diarrhoea  or  peritonitis,  the  result 
of  perforation.  Now  perforation  scarcely  ever  occurs 
until  the  patient  is  moribund,  and  the  body  semi-putrid ; 
but  the  immoderate  use  of  tobacco  will  predispose  to 
perforation  under  very  diffei-ent  circumstances.  For  in- 
stance, a  gentleman  in  my  practice  had  progressed  very 
favorably  to  the  fifteenth  day^f  typhoid  fever:  the 
diarrhoea  was  very  moderate,  and  the  symptoms  altoge- 
ther so  mild  as  to  call  for  a  purely  expectant  treatment, 
nourishment,  with  very  little  stimulant,  sufficing  to  keep 
the  patient  in  a  very  fair  condition  from  day  to  day.  On 
the  fifteenth  day  his  bowels  were  relaxed  at  6  in  the 
morning ;  at  5  p.  M.  he  got  out  to  have  his  bed  made, 
and  as  his  bowels  had  not  moved  since  6  A.M.,  he  thought 
it  might  save  getting  out  again  if  he  could  evacuate  them 
at  the  same  time ;  for  this  purpose  he  made  a  straining 
effort,  and  almost  instantly  felt  something  give  way;  a 
violent  pain  ran  rapidly  across  the  region  of  the  bladder, 
and  soon  diffused  itself  over  the  whole  abdomen;  tym- 
pany occurred  within  an  hour,  and  in  twenty-four  hours 
he  died  from  peritonitis,  the  residt  of  perforation  of  the 
small  intestine.  A  milder  case  than  this  I  never  saw, 
hut  the  patient  was  accustomed  to  smolce  ten  or  twelve 


68       tobacco:  its  use  an3  abuse. 

cigars  daily.  I  could  quote  other  cases  almost  parallel, 
where  the  immoderate  use  of  tobacco  destroyed  all  the 
chances  of  recovery,  in  otherwise  fffjorable  or  merely 
doubtful  cases  of  typhoid."  How  many  of  our  brave 
soldiers  must  'have  died  at  Varna,  Burmah,  and  other 
localities,  where  diarrhoea,  dysentery,  and  cholera  were 
epidemic,  and  where  tobacco  was  consumed  immode- 
rately !  I  should  imagine  that  the  greater  number  of 
those  who  died  suddenly,  and  in  agony,  must  have  had 
perforated  intestine. 

The  reader  is  referred  to  page  53,  Prout's  experience, 
which  in  a  measure  confirms  this. 

87.  Dr.  B ,  an  experienced  physician,  has  kindly 

communicated  the  following  interesting  and  satisfactcft-y 
case  of  a  near  relatiVjH  who  fell  a  victim  to  tobacco 
smoking,  which  produced  cancerous  ulceration  of  the 
tongue ;  also  a  graphic  delineation  of  the  disease. 

Mr.  A.,  a  gentleman  about  fifty-eight  years  of  age,  of 
a  strong  wiry  frame  and  healthy  constitution,  none' of 
whose  relations  had  ever  had  a  cancerous  afi"ection,  was 
observed,  in  1831,  to  articulate  with  difficulty  —  his 
tongue  being  too  large  for  his  mouth.  On  being  inter- 
rogated by  a  medical  friend,  a  relation  of  his  own,  he 
acknowledged  that  he  was  a  devoted  victim  to  the  weed. 
His  tongue  at  this  time  was  enlarged,  firm,  and  coated 
with  a  white  crust,  somewhat  resembling  the  confeC" 
tionery  named  kisses.  There  was  a  sulcus  in  the  centre 
of  the  tongue,  with  a  bright  red  line  at  the  base.  The 
sore  was  washed  with  a  solution  of  the  chlorate  of  soda, 
before  this  sketch  was  taken.  His  medical  attendant, 
to  induce  him  to  give  up  smoking,  informed  him  th^vt 


COMMUNICATIONS    AND    EXTRACTS.       69 

the  disease  of  his  tongue  would  kill  him ;  so  that  he  at 
once  "  throw  away  tobacco  forever/^ 

From  this  time  the  disease  progressively  got  worse. 
In  May,  1833,  the  patient,  accompanied  by  his  medical 
relation,  visited  London,  and  consulted  Sir  Astley  Cooper, 
when  the  patient  put  the  following  question  to  Sir  Astley : 
"  Had  I  come  early  enough,  could  I  have  been  cured  ?" 
— to  which  Sir  Astley  replied  :  "  Sir,  there  never  was  a 
time  early  enough  to  have  warranted  an  operation :  every 
fibre,  every  papilla  of  your  tongue  is  diseased ;  and  it 
would  have  been  merciful  to  have  clapped  a  pistol  to 
your  head,  the  instant  the  disease  began/'  Sir  Astley 
prescribed  for  him,  but  to  no  purpose,  as  the  disease 
increased  with  a  rapidity  inconceivable;  for  by  the  end 
of  June,  the  anterior  portion  had  mouldered  away  (so 
graphically  described  by  his  medical  attendant),  the 
tongue  being  previously  cleansed  by  the  chlorate  of 
Boda,  in  doing  which  the  foetor  was  intolerable.  He 
jiow  suffered  acute  pain,  and  was  obliged  to  take  morphia 
every  night.  His  pulse  was  from  120  to  160.  In  July, 
his  spirits  began  to  be  dreadfully  depressed,  accompanied 
with  pains  in  his  head,  and  he  at  this  time  remained 
chiefly  in  bed. 

By  the  24th,  the  ulceration  had  extended  to  the 
fauces,  and  the  glands  at  the  angle  of  the  lower  jaw 
bone  became  swollen.  Deglutition  was  now  difl&cult 
and  painful,  and  his  strength  began  to  fail — but  still  no 
haemorrhage. 

By  the  middle  of  August,  the  tongue  had  mouldered 
away.— the  stump  presenting  an  irregular,  lumpy  sur- 
face, covered  ^ith  a  flocculent,  dirty,  greenish- white 


70        tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

deposit,  and  the  ulceration  extending  on  tlie  left  side  tc 
the  OS  hyoides,  accompanied  with  a  most  ofifensive  dis- 
charge.    There  was  a  spasmodic  difficulty  in  swallowing^* 
a  troublesome  cough,  with  difficult  expectoration,  great 
mental  depression,  and  hallucination  of  mind. 

On  the  25th  of  this  month,  for  the  first  time,  an  oozing 
of  arterial  blood  took  place,  but  not  to  any  extent.  His 
pulse  was  130,  and  very  weak — some  aberration  of  mind. 
Cough  very  incessant  during  the  night,  and  he  appeared 
in  great  agony. 

In  the  beginning  of  September  he  became  very  weak, 
so  that  he  was  confined  to  bed,  passing  restless  nights, 
with  profuse  perspirations.  His  mind  much  afi"ected, 
breathing  very  difficult,  with  constant  expectoration  of 
viscid  phlegm  mixed  with  blood.  When  he  attempted 
to  swallow  fluids,  they  were  returned  by  the  nostrils. 
The  dressing  the  extensively-ulcerated  surface  caused 
severe  pain,  and  the  foetor  was  excessively  offensive.  The 
sub-maxillary  glands  were  now  greatly  enlarged.  Pulse 
generally  above  120. 

By  the  25th  September,  the  whole  of  the  uvula,  velum, 
and  tonsils  were  destroyed  by  the  ulceration.  The 
glands  at  the  angle  of  the  lower  jaw  larger  and  more 
painful.  He  was  then  unable  to  swallow,  and  hence 
could  take  no  nourishment. 

From  this  to  the  2d  October,  all  his  symptoms  be- 
came aggravated,  the  salivation  more  profuse,  the  per- 
spirations more  abundant,  and  the  difficulty  of  breathing 
insupportable  ',  and  after  three  hours  of  intense  suffering 
he  expired.  "All  the  death-bed  scenes  and  death-bed 
«»ufferjngs   I   had    ever   witnessed,"   says    his    medical 


COMMUNICATIONS   AND    EXTRACTS.        71 

friend,  "were  comparatively  easy,  to  the  individual 
agonies  and  gaspings  for  breath  this  kind  and  amiable 
man  was  destined  to  endure."  His  medical  friend 
adds  ^  ^'  The  disease  is  novel  and  unique  to  me"  —  "  it 
has  differed  in  its  appearance  and  progress  from  any 
and  every  disease  of  the  tongue  that  I  have  evei*  seen  or 
read  of." 

Professor  Bennet,  in  his  microscopic  examination  of  a 
section  of  the  late  D.  R.'s  tongue,  goes  to  corroborate  the 
above  view. 

Query — If  the  ulceration  differs  from  carcinoma,  a 
smoker  runs  the  risk  of  two  diseases,  viz.,  carcinomatous 
sarcoma,  and  carcinomatous  nicotianum  ? 

A  case  precisely  similar  to  Mr,  A.'s,  I  have  received 
from  my  friend  Dr.  Tod,  of  Gilmore  Place. 

88.  A  middle-aged  woman,  an  inveterate  smoker,  was 
alarmed  at  seeing  a  small  warty-looking  growth  in  the 
centre  of  her  tongue,  which  frequently  gave  her  a  sting- 
ing pain,  and  which  she  requested  a  neighbor  to  look  at. 
She  continued  to  smoke  her  pipe,  never  dreaming  that 
the  tobacco  was  the  cause  of  her  sufferings,  until  the 
excrescence  began  to  ulcerate,  which  it  did  rapidly,  and 
extended  to  the  root  of  her  tongue,  destroying  the  ante- 
rior portion  by  sloughing,  and  ultimately  destroying  life 
in  twelve  months. 

89.  J.  T ,  £etatis  46,  consulted  Dr.  Tod,  of  Gil- 

more  Place,  in  the  middle  of  January,  1856,  regarding 
a  slight  swelling  on  the  right  side  of  his  tongue,  which 
was  attributed  partly  to  decayed  teeth,  and  partly  to 
smoking  tobacco.  He  consumed  two  ounces  weekly  with 
a  pipe.     His  wife  states,  that  whenever  any  thing  ogi- 


72   tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse 

tated  tim,  he  flew  to  the  pipe,  and  smoked  until  ho 
trembled  nervously.  .  He  "  threw  away  tobacco  for- 
ever." As  three  of  the  contiguous  teeth  were  decayed, 
with  ragged  edges,  they  were  immediately  ex* acted, 
but  without  any  benefit.  In  a  short  time,  a  fissure  took 
place  at  the  swollen  point,  which  increasing,  I  was  con- 
sulted, and,  after  a  careful  examination,  it  was  pro- 
nounced cancerous,  and  recommended  to  be  treated  by 
ligature.  On  the  14th  July,  1856,  ligatures  were  passed 
from  under  the  tongue  to  its  aipper  surface,  so  as  to  iii- 
clude  all  the  disease ;  but  on  the  fifth  day,  such  smart 
haemorrhage  took  place  from  the  central  ligature,  that 
they  required  to  be  removed,  and  the  actual  cautery  ap- 
Dlied.  The  cautery  was  repeated  very  often  in  conse- 
quence of  the  bleeding  occurring.  [The  manner  of 
applying  ligatures  to  the  tongue,  when  afiiected  with 
cancer,  is  delineated  in  Fig.  4  of  Plate  .XXXVIII.  of  my 
Practical  Surgery,  2d  edition,  and  described  at  page  305 
of  the  same  work.] 

In  September  following,  the  glands  at  the  angle  of 
the  jaw  became  swollen,  and  threatened  suffocation. 
The  ulceration  spread  rapidly,  involving  the  right  half 
of  the  tongue.  At  this  time  he  was  sadly  tormented 
with  profuse  salivation,  and  foetor  of  breath.  His  pulse 
from  first  to  last  has  never  been  under  100,  but  often 
above. 

Towards  the  end  of  October,  fearful  haemorrhage  took 
place,  requiring  Dr.  Tod  to  sit  up  all  the  night  of  the 
27th,  applying  one  actual  cautery  at  a  black  heat  after 
another.  Next  day  his  tongue  was  swollen  as  if  he  had 
been  severely  salivated  with  mercury,  the  point  pro 


COMMUNICATIONS   AND    EXTRACTS.        73 

jecting  an  inch  or  two  beyond  the  lips  and  teeth,  and 
very  turgid. 

3d  November.  —  Tongue  still  tremendously  swollen 
and  pallid,  causing  perpetual  exudation  of  the  saliva, 
and  preventing  him  swallowing.  He  is  now  much  ema- 
ciated, and  the  pulse  never  under  110.  The  glands  at 
the  back  of  the  tongue  and  neck  are  much  increased  in 
size. 

10th  November.  —  His  tongue  now  projects  beyond 
his  teeth  fully  two  inches,  and  he  cannot  retract  it. 
The  teeth  are  beginning  to  indent  themselves  in  the  soft 
tongue,  and  threaten  to  cut  it  in  two.  His  existence  is 
now  kept  up,  more  by  nutrient  enemata,  than  by  nourish- 
ment from  the  mouth,  the  difl&culty  of  swallowing  is  so 
distressing. 

19th.  —  Dr.  Tod  nipped,  with  the  bone  pliers,  the 
upper  teeth  parallel  with  the  gum,  which  gave  him  some 
relief. 

3d  December.  —  His  face  has  a  hideous  appearance, 
from  the  protruded  swollen  tongue,  which  is  daily  be- 
coming more  detached  by  the  ulceration  extending 
across,  and  from  the  enormously  swollen  glands  T)f  the 
neck.  He  is  unable  to  swallow  any  quantity,  and  is 
therefore  still  nourished  by  enemata.  In  the  night 
time,  his  breathing  is  so  laborious,  that  it  can  be  heard 
in  the  adjoining  room.  Smell  of  tongue  still  very 
offensive. 

22d. — At  his  solicitation  we  have  this  day  put  a  liga- 
ture in  the  fossa,  between  the  root  and  the  projecting 
portion  of  the  tongue,  to  facilitate  the  separation  of  the 
latter.     While  tightening  the  ligature,  a  point  of  the 


74      tobacco:   its   use   and   abuse. 

surface  of  the  projected  part  bled  a  little,  but  soon 
stopped.  We  punctured  the  tumor  below  bis  chin,  as 
it  pointed,  and  the  skin  threatened  to  inflame  and  ulce- 
rate. Strumous-looking  matter,  whey-colored,  with  flakes 
of  lymph,  flowed. 

1st  January,  1857. — Whenever  the  ligature  is  tight- 
ened, it  threatens  to  bleed.  He  is  now  fearfully  ema- 
ciated, pulse  hardly  perceptible,  and  he  is  delirious 
during  the  night.  Bleeding  occurs  from  time  to  time 
to  the  extent  of  an  ounce  or  so,  but  is  easily  checked. 

4th.  —  For  the  last  four  days,  life  has  been  ebbing 
apace,  but  fortunately  no  pain  oi  any  consequence.  He 
expired  at  3  o'clock,  p.  M.  He  died  more  from  inanition 
than  any  other  cause. 

90.  Upon  investigation,  I  find  that  the  late  Dr.  R 

fell  a  victim  to  the  smoking  of  tobacco,  and  hence  I  give 
a  iH-ief  description  of  his  case,  which  has  already  been 
published,  but  with  no  reference  to  the  cause  —  tobacco. 
I  had  myself  often  seen  him  smoking,  and  on  inquiry 
at  his  nearest  relatives',  I  understand  that  he  was  devoted 
to  the  custom.  One  of  his  relatives  states,  that  he  smoked 
till  within  two  months  of  his  death ;  and  his  biographer 
writes,  that  "  in  the  evening  he  obtained  temporary  relief 
from  a  cigar,"  Now,  unless  Dr.  R had  been  accus- 
tomed to  the  pernicious  weed,  he  never  would  have  been 
able,  with  an  ulcerated  tongue,  to  smoke  a  cigar. 

His  biographer  thus  writes :  "  In  the  month  of  No- 
vember, 1847,  a  small  blister  appeared  on  his  tongue, 
which  before  long  opened  into  an  ulcer,  betraying  the 
symptoms  of  cancer  —  a  disease  which,  in  spite  of  the 
advancement  of  medicine,  is  still  almost  synonymoua 


COMMUNICATIONS    AND    EXTRACTS.       75 

with  protracted,  unappeasable  torture,  and  painful,  lin- 
gering death/' 

In  May,  1848,  he  consulted  the  surgical  staff  of  Lon- 
don, from  Sir  Benjajnin  Brodie  downwards,  who  tried  to 
dissuade  him  from  an  operation ;  so  that  he  returned  to 
Scotland. 

In  July,  1848,  the  ulcerated  surface  was  the  size  of  a 
five-shilling  piece,  and  soon  afterwards  a  lymphatic  gland 
appeared  enlarged  on  the  right  side  of  *his  neck.  On  the 
las<;giay  of  August,  1848,  he  prevailed  on  a  dexterous 
operator  to  excise  it,  which  was  accordingly  done 
most  scientifically.  In  a  week,  trifling  bleeding  super- 
vened. 

Professor  Bennet,  of  this  University,  a  most  profound 
physiologist,  examined  the  excised  portion  of  the  tongue, 
and  thus  remarks : 

"  I  took  the  utmost  pains  to  make  out  all  the  facts 
connected  with  the  structure  of  this  lesion ;  and  it  will 
be  seen,  on  comparing  the  figures  representing  it  with 
those  illustrating  the  formation  of  cancerous  growths, 
that  they  differ  materially.  In  this,  as  in  most  other 
cases  of  epithelial  ulceration,  the  disease  commenced  at 
the  surface,  producing  increased  formation  of  epithelial 
cells,  and  great  thickening  and  induration  by  their  con- 
densation. A  true  cancer  always  commences  below  the 
epithelium,  in  the  form«f  a  white  deposit,  which  soon 
appears  as  a  nodule,  and  by  its  pressure  subsequently 
causes  ulceration  through  the  mucous  coat.  A  thin  slice 
of  the  hardened  schirrus-looking  matter  presented  a  very 
different  appearance  from  that  observed  in  similar  slices 
removed  from  cancerous  growths,  and  exhibiting  nothing 


76       tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

but  epithelial  scales,  more  or  less  condensed  and  pressed 
together." 

In  November,  1848,  the  submaxillary  glands  enlarged^ 
and  were  excised.  These,  when  carefully  examined,  ex- 
hibited the  same  epithelial  form  of  morbid  growth  as 
affects  the  tongue  or  face. 

On  the  16th  July,  1849,  bleeding  took  place,  and 
again  on  the  18th,  violent  haemorrhage  occurred,  fol- 
lowed by  great  exhaustion.  For  several  days  no  food 
or  drink  was  taken.  Every  function  but  breathing 
seemed  suspended.  When  sensitiveness  to  all  else  ap- 
peared extinct,  the  consciousness  of  agony  returned; 
and  before  the  final  close,  which  took  place  on  the  30th 
of  that  month,  the  sufi"ering,  but  for  chloroform,  would 
have  been  extreme. 

Here  I  may  remark,  that  it  seems  as  malignant  and 
as  painful  a  disease  as  exists ;  so  that,  to  the  sufi"erer,  it 
is  immaterial  whether  it  is  cancroid  or  carcinomatous. 

Dr.  R is  described  by  his  biographer  as  enjoying 

health  in  its  fullest  measure  when  attacked  — "  that  he 
had  a  robust  body,  great  physical  strength,  a  sanguine 
temperament,  a  vigorous  intellect,  a  happy  temper,  and 
a  resolute,  courageous  spirit." 

91.  A  merchant  in  Dublin  lately  fell  a  victim  to  can- 
cer of  the  tongue,  produced  by  smoking.  A  friend, 
whose  authority  is  undoubtedf^visited  him  a  few  days 
before  his  death ;  but  the  picture  was  so  appalling  that 
he  could  not  make  up  his  mind  to  see  him  again.  He 
was  sitting  surrounded  by  an  amiable  family,  writhing 
in  Jigony,  and  unable  to  speak  or  swallow,  from  his  tongue 
having  mouldered  away.     He  was  reduced  nine  stone  ia 


COMMUNICATIONS    AND    EXTRACTS.       77 

a  few  months.  I  wrote  his  ordinary  mecJical  attendant 
to  furnish  me  with  a  narrative  of  his  case,  which  iHiave 
not  yet  obtained. 

92.  From  the  cases  I  have  recorded,  I  may  presume 
that  a  person  with  a  cancerous  diathesis,  or  predisposi- 
tion or  constitution,  smoking  a  cutty  pipe,  must  be  liable 
to  communicate  the  disease  to  another  who  might  take 
up  the  same  pipe. 

93.  In  the  syphilitic  constitution,  the  mucous  mem- 
brane of  the  mouth  is  very  prone  to  excitement  and 
ulceration;  and  if  the  latter  is  produced  by  smoking 
tobacco,  the  ulceration,  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  will 
degenerate  into  cancerous  or  cancroid  ulceration,  and 
prove  fatal,  after  lingering  and  cruel  sufferings. 

94.  Since  I  commenced  the  investigation  of  cancer 
of  the  tongue,  I  have  been  led  to  consider  the  structure 
of  the  tongue.  1st.  Can  the  papillae  be  the  termination 
of  the  nerves  of  sensation  —  the  glosso-pharyngeal  and 
the  gustatory  branches  of  the  inferior  maxillary  nerves  ? 
2dly.  Do  these  nerves  of  sensation  terminate  in  pulpy 
matter,  like  the  other  nerves  of  sensation  ?  Thus,  the 
olfactory  nerves  spread  like  pulp  on  the  mucous  mem- 
brane of  the  nares,  after  passing  through  the  cribriform 
plate  of  the  ethmoid  bone ;  the  optic  nerve  becomes  the 
retina,  after  piercing  the  sclerotic  coat  of  the  eye ;  the 
auditory  is  distributed  on  the  labyrinth  of  the  ear,  viz. 
the  cochlea,  vestibule,  and  three  semi-circular  canals. 
The  nerves  of  the  fingers  form  the  pacinian  bodies. 

Reasoning  from  analogy,  therefore,  that  four  of  the 
senses  —  smelling,  seeing,  diearing,  and  touching  —  are 
supplied  with  nerves  which  terminate  in  pulpy  expanse, 
17 


78       tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

it  seems  consJItent  to  expect  to  find  the  same  arrange- 
ment or  distribntion  in  the  nerves  of  tasting.  In  Kol- 
liker's  able  work  on  human  histology,  he  describes  the 
various  tissues  of  the  tongue  as  being  very  minute  and 
delicate ;  but  he  says :  "  I  have  been  unable  to  make 
out,  with  certainty,  how  the  nerves  terminate ;  yet  every- 
thing appeared  to  indicate  the  existence  of  loops — not, 
however,  in  the  simple  papillae,  but  at  their  base." 
Kolliker  quotes  "  Remark,"  who  states  that  "  the  terminal 
branches  of  the  glosso-pharyngeal  and  gustatory  nerves 
form  a  very  dense  plexus  before  entering  the  papillae." 
The  largest  animals  examined  were  the  calf  and  sheep. 
It  would  appear  necessary  to  examine  the  tongues  of  the 
horse  and  elephant,  and  the  foetal  tongue,  like  the  foetal 
brain,  according  to  Tiedemann. 

From  the  delicate  texture  of  the  tongue,  must  arise 
the  difficulty  of  arresting  disease  in  it,  especially  malig- 
nant ulceration,  and  when  the  constitution  is  poisoned 
with  tobacco,  for  then  it  seems  to  spread  from  the  one 
end  to  the  other  with  electric  rapidity. 

95.  Since  the  publication  of  the  preceding  observa- 
tions by  Sir  A.  Cooper,  Professor  Syme  has  excised  the 
entire  tongue  in  two  cases,  both  of  which  were  followed 
by  pyaemia  and  death.  One  would  have  thought,  that 
the  frequency  of  so  fatal  an  affection  as  pysemia  super- 
vening on  the  perineal  section,  would  have  made  any 
surgeon  acquainted  with  pathology,  pause,  before  excising 
the  tongue,  which  is  equally  vascular  as  the  corpus  spon- 
giosum urethrae,  and  much  nearer  the  lungs,  wherein 
pyaemia  develops  itself.  But  as  John  Bell  says,  ^'  Ope- 
rations have  come  at  last  to  represent  the  whole  science." 


COMMUNICATIONS   AND    EXTRACTS  79 

Such  seems  to  be  the  case  in  the  opinion  at  least  of  the 
so-called  "  First  Surgeon  in  Europe/' 

96.  The  best  marked  case  of  pyaemia  is  that  of  Cree^ 
occurring  from  the  perineal  section,  which  is  detailed  in 
my  Practical  Observations  on  the  Treatment  of  Stricture 
of  the  Urethra.  Professor  Syme  must  have  preserved 
in  his  note-book  a  few  similarly  fatal  cases.  From  these 
two  instances  of  pyaemia  supervening  to  excision  of  the 
tongue,  and  those  following  the  perineal  section,  it  is 
evident  how  pyaemia  occurs  so  often  after  wounds  in 
vascular  tissues,  especially  veins  —  inflammation  is  first 
set  up,  and  suppuration  rapidly  following,  the  pus  be- 
comes absorbed  by  the  veins,  acts  as  a  poison  in  the 
circulating  system,  and  hence  proves  rapidly  fatal.  For 
a  full  detail  of  the  first  case,  the  reader  is  referred  to 
two  unanswerable  letters  by  Dr.  John  Renton,  in  the 
Medical  Times  and  Gazette  for  the  20th  February  and 
13th  March,  1858.  The  two  patients,  more  especially 
the  second,  Richard  Ratcliff,  are  stated  to  have  been 
great- smokers  of  tobacco. 

97.  Ike  following  is  an  interesting  case  of  amaurosis, 
or  blindness,  from  smoking  tobacco:  —  J.  W.,  a  coach- 
builder,  upwards  of  fifty  years  of  age,  had  smoked  for 
thirty  years,  generally  two  ounces  of  tobacco  a  week, 
■when  he  became  so  blind  as  to  be  unable  to  work,  or 
even  walk  through  a  crowded  street.  He  applied  to  an 
^ye  dispensary,  where  the  medical  man,  who  is  consid- 
ered a  good  oculist,  told  him  that  he  labored  under 
amaurosis,  and  prescribed  accordingly.  After  following 
his  treatment  for  some  time,  and  finding  himself  no 
better,  he  visited  a  neighboring  city,  and  consulted  an- 


80        tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

other  oculist,  who  instantly  detected  tobacco  to  be  the 
cause  of  his  blindness,  as  if  the  obnoxious  stench  of  the 
weed  had  led  him  at  once  to  this  conclusion. .  J.  W. 
instantly  "  threw  away  tobacco  for  ever,"  visited  a  rela- 
tive in  the  Highlands,  where  in  a  short  time  his  vision 
gradually  returned,  became  clear,  and  enabled  him  t^ 
return  to  his  business  quite  cured.  It  is  now  six  years 
since  he  recovered,  and  he  now  can  read  a  small  printed 
book  without  glasses.  He  says  his  health  is  much  im- 
proved since  he  gave  up  the  pernicious  weed. 

98.  This  case  is  important,  as  it  explains  how  tobacco 
affects  us.  If  tobacco  smoking  produces  such  serious 
effects  on  the  nerves  of  the  eyes,  so  as  to  cause  blindness, 
why  may  it  not  produce  paralysis  of  any  of  the  other 
nerves,  as  those  of  the  arms,  legs,  and  indeed  of  every 
other  organ.     (See  page  34.) 

99.  It  would  appear  that  the  nerves  of  the  mouth  and 
nostrils  are  first  affected  —  then  the  brain  —  thirdly,  the 
nerves  of  the  eyes — and  lastly,  the  whole  nervous  system 
At  the  same  time,  the  poison,  being  mixed  and  swal- 
lowed with  the  saliva,  must  be  absorbed  by  the  lanphatics 
of  the  stomach  and  intestines,  and  be  thus  circulated 
with  the  blood,  and  again  act  on  the  nervous  system  like 
strychnine. 

100.  I  was  consulted  by  a  captain  of  dragoons,  affected 
with  amaurosis,  consequent  on  smoking  tobacco,  for  which 
he  was  compelled  to  sell  his  commission,  after  being 
several  years  in  the  army,  and  only  forty  years  of  age. 
I  could  not  convince  him  that  his  smoking  tobacco  was 
the  cause  of  his  blindness,  and  I  suppose  that  he  con- 
tinues blind  to  this  date. 


COMMUNICATIONS   AND    EXTRACTS.        81 

101.  In  a  recent  correspondence  with  Mr.  Anton,  he 
thus  states  :  "  I  am  convinced  that  a  soldier,  who  is  an 
inveterate  smoker,  is  incapable  to  level  his  musket  with 
precision,  and  without  shaking  his  hand,  so  as  to  take  a 
steady  aim  at  the  object  he  is  desirous  to  hit."  .  .  . 
*^  Your  remarks,"  says  he,  "  bring  back  to  my  recollec- 
tion many  instances  of  that  nervous  trepidation,  which 
rendered  many  a  brave  man  useless  as  a  marksman  or 
musqueteer." 

102.  The  British  soldiers,  says  Mr.  O'Flaherty,  had 
no  tobacco  at  the  battles  of  Alma,  Balaklava,  or  Inker- 
mann,  while  the  Russians  had  too  much,  both  of  tobacco 
and  raki ;  and  that  he  never  saw  stronger  men  or  more 
noble  soldiers  than  the  Russians. 

He  also  says  that  he  has  known  men,  who,  previous 
to  their  using  tobacco,  were  the  finest  marksmen,  and 
could  send  a  bullet  through  the  target  at  800  yards  dis- 
tance; but  who,  after  they  had  commenced  to  smoke 
and  chew  tobacco,  became  so  nervous  that  they  could 
scarcely  send  a  bullet  into  a  haystack  at  100  yards  dis- 
tance. In  this  statement,  O'Flaherty  is  confirmed  by  a 
'eoldier  of  the  Scots  Fusilier  Guards. 

103.  Here  I  may  remark,  that  surgeons,  especially 
operating  surge's,  who  smoke  tobacco,  cannot  have  the 
Bame  cool  head  and  hand,  as  he  who  never  uses  the  weed. 
The  late  Mr.  Liston  never  smoked.  Before  performing 
any  important  operation,  he  took  a  gallop  over  the  Pent- 
land  Hills  to  brace  his  nerves. 

104.  Dr.  M'Cosh,  once  a  professor  in  the  Calcutta 
Medical  College,  who  had  much  experience  in  the  East 
Indies,  having  served  in  the  Bengal  Medical  Staflf  in 


82        tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

four  campaigns  and  nine  general  actions,  and  experienced 
all  the  vicissitudes  of  an  Indian  climate,  from  the  snowy 
mountains  of  the  Khyber  to  the  tepid  marshes  of  Burmah^ 
makes  the  following  valuable  observations  in  his  "Advice 
to  Officers  in  India" : 

"Tobacco  smoking/'  says  he,  "is  a  very  common 
habit;  so  much  so,  that  two-thirds  of  the  European  popu- 
lation indulge  in  it;  nor  is  the  vice  contracted  in  India 
only.  A  large  proportion  of  cadets  acquire  the  habit  in 
England,  and  are  not  a  little  proud  of  their  accomplish- 
ment. Young  men  think  it  manly  to  blow  as  big  a 
cloud  as  their  commanding  officer.  Their  breath  not 
only  smells  of  an  old  pipe,  but  every  thing  that  comes 
out  of  their  house  —  a  book,  a  newspaper,  or  a  letter  — 
does  the  same;  so  that  the  perusal,  by  any  one  not  sea- 
soned to  such  fumes,  is  sickening;  and  to  ladies,  dis- 
gusting. The  very  difficulty  of  learning  to 'smoke,  the 
headache,  and  nausea,  and  vertigo,  with  which  that  is 
acquired,  are  enough  to  show  that  the  habit  is  most 
injurious;  only  made  endurable  by  long  habit,  and  per- 
severed in  from  want  of  some  more  congenial  occupation. 
Habitual  smoking,  too,  often  leads  to  habitual  drinking ; 
the  drain  upon  the  system  must  be  replenished,  and 
brandy  and  water  is  the  succedaneum.  ^ome  pretend  to 
gainsay  this,  and  maintain  that  they  do  not  spit;  but  this 
only  shows  the  torpor  of  the  salivary  glands;  for,  if  they 
were  in  a  healthy  state,  saliva  would  be  as  copious  as 
when  they  were  learning  the  habit. 

105.  Some  smoke  from  medicinal  motives,  and  to 
produce  a  laxative  ejQfect,  or  from  absurd  notions  that  it 
neutralizes    malaria;    but   these    same    persons   would 


COMMUNICATIONS   AND    EXTRACTS.        83 

grumble  loudly  at  being  obliged  to  take  a  pill  every 
evening  to  produce  the  same  effect.  If  a  general  order 
were  issued,  rendering  smoking  compulsory,  how  the 
fathers  of  youthful  heroes  would  protest  against  so  very 
expensive  a  habit*  being  imposed  upon  their  sons ;  what 
an  outcry  there  would  be  amongst  the  married  ladies  for 
having  such  an  intolerable  nuisance  forced  upon  their 
domestic  economy !  How  the  surgeons  would  be  perse- 
cuted with  applications  for  certificates,  recommending 
exemption  from  the  rule,  on  the  score  of  their  consti- 
tutions being  too  delicate  to  admit  of  smoking  being 
practised  with  impunity.  Strange  infatuation !  Great 
smokers  blow  away  money  enough  during  their  career 
in  India  to  purchase  them  a  moderate  annuity;  they 
waste  more  good  health  than  their  pensions  can  redeem ; 
and  shorten  the  period  of  their  lives  several  years  by  this 
filthy  habit." 

106.  The  following  are  the  sentiments  of  the  great 
Camden :  — 

Camden,  in  his  Annals  rer.  Anglicar,  page  415,  thus 
expresses  himself  on  the  smoking  of  tobacco :  "  In  con- 
sequence of  this  use  of  it,  the  bodies  of  Englishmen, 
who  are  so  highly  delighted  with  this  plant  (tobacco), 
seem  to  have  degenerated  into  the  nature  of  the  harha- 
rians,  seeing  that  they  are  delighted  with  the  same  thing 
which  the  barbarians  use." 

107.  The  following  extract,  from  the  leading  article 
of  the  Lancet  of  April  4,  1857,  contains  a  brief  and 
conclusive  summing  up  of  the  evidence  adduced  by  the 
numerous  correspondents  of  that  journal  on  the  tobacco 
controversy,  as   to   the   injurious   effects   of  excessive 


84        tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

smoking;  and  I  have  annexed,  in  a  continued  series, 
excerpts  from  the  several  papers  which  appeared  in  that 
journal,  being  convinced  that  the  audi  alteram  partem 
is  the  only  legitimate  mode  of  dealing  with  the  question: 
"  It  is  almost  unnecessary  to  make  a  separate  inquiry 
into  the  pathological  conditions  which  follow  upon  ex- 
cessive smoking.  Abundant  evidence  has  been  adduced 
in  the  correspondence  in  our  columns,  of  the  gigantic 
evils  which  attend  the  use  of  tobacco.  Let  it  be  granted 
at  once,  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  moderate  smoking, 
and  let  it  be  admitted  that  we  cannot  accuse  tobacco  of 
being  guilty  of  the  whole  of  Cullen's  ^  Nosology,'  it 
still  remains  that  there  is  a  long  catalogue  of  frightful 
penalties  attached  to  its  abuse, 
"Let  us  briefly  recapitulate  — 

"1.  To  smoke ^arZy  in  the  day  is  excess. 
"  2.  As  people  are  generally  constituted,  to  smoke 
more  than  one  or  two  pipes  of  tobacco,  or 
one  or  two  cigars  daily,  is  excess. 
"  3.  Youthful  indulgence  in  smoking  is  excess. 
"4.  There  are  physiological  indications,  which,  oc- 
curring iu  any  individual  case,  are  criteria 
of  excess. 
"  We  most  earnestly  desire  to  see  the  habit  of  smoking 
diminish,  and  we  entreat  the  youth  of  this  country  to 
abandon   it   altogether.     Let   them   lay  our  advice  to 
heart.     Let  them  give  up  a  dubious  pleasure  for  a  cer- 
tain good.      Ten  years   hence  we   shall  receive  their 
thanks.'' 

108    The  subjoined  extract  is  taken  from  a  second 


COMMUNICATIONS  AND    EXTRACTS.        85 

communication  on  the  tobacco  question,  by  Mr.  Solly,  in 
The  Lancet  of  February  14tb,  1857: 

^^  The  more  I  think  of  the  tobacco  question  the  more 
it  haunts  me.  I  feel  that  I  cannot  do  justice  to  its  im- 
portance, but  I  am  anxious  to  add  something  to  my  last 
communication.  Every  day  the  subject  is  forced  upon 
my  mind.  I  scarcely  meet  a  friend  or  patient  who  does 
not  bear  his  testimony  to  the  mischief  of  which  he  has 
been  the  witness,  in  his  own  case  or  that  of  some  friend, 
from  tobacco. 

"  The  profession  have  no  idea  of  the  ignorance  of  the 
public  regarding  the  nature  of  tobacco.  Even  intelli- 
gent, well-educated  men,  stare  in  astonishment,  when 
you  tell  them  that  tobacco  is  one  of  the  most  powerful 
poisons  we  possess.  Now,  is  this  right?  Has  the 
medical  profession  done  its  duty  %  Ought  we  not,  as  a 
body,  to  have  told  the  public  that,  of  all  our  poisons,  it 
is  the  most  insidious,  uncertain,  and,  in  full  doses,  the 
most  deadly.  Why  should  they  not  know  at  once  how 
often  it  has  proved  fatal  in  the  human  subject,  when 
injected  into  the  rectum  in  strangulated  hernia.  I 
heard,  only  the  other  day,  that  a  celebrated  surgeon  — 
rather  an  obstinate  one  —  since  dead,  lost  five  cases  in 
succession  from  the  e£fect  of  tobacco  injected  into  the 
bowels. 

"  It  seems  almost  trifling  with  the  subject,  and  yet 
the  extreme  ignorance  which  prevails  regarding  this 
frightful  pest,  rendering  even  trifles  weighty  in  the 
scale,  induces  me  to  remind  all  smokers,  and  those  of 
our  brethren  who  madly  encourage  it,  that  the  first  effect 
»f  a  cigar  on  any  one,  demonstrates  that  tobacco  can 


86   tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

jLoison  by  its  smoke,  and  througli  the  lungs,  just  as  cer. 
tainly  as  through  the  bowels. 

"  It  is  true,  that  the  all-perfect  laws  of  Nature  point 
out  to  careless  man,  that  he  is  taking  in  a  poison,  and 
by  the  sickness,  headache,  and  vomiting  which  follow, 
stop  for  the  time  the  .poisonous  dose,  and  avert  the 
fatal  end. 

"  Look  at  the  pale  face,  imperfect  development,  and 
deficient  muscular  power  of  the  inhabitants  of  unhealthy 
malarious  districts.  They  live  on,  but  with  only  half 
the  proper  attributes  of  life.  So  it  is  with  the  habitual 
smoker :  his  system  is  accustomed  to  the  poison ;  and  so 
the  opium-eater  can  take  an  ounce  of  laudanum  for  his 
morning's  dram,  and  feel  it  not,  when  the  eighth  part 
of  it  would  be  fatal  to  the  uninitiated. 

"  What  a  blessing  it  would  have  been  to  mankind,  if 
all  men  had  shrunk  from  this  plague  of  the  brain,  as  did 
the  first  Napoleon.  One  inhalation  was  enough.  In 
disgust  he  exclaimed,  '  Oh,  the  swine !  My  stomach 
turns.     It  is  a  habit  only  fit  to  amuse  sluggards.' 

"  It  is  not,  however,  to  be  denied,  that  when  the  first 
poisonous  efi'ect  has  passed  ofi",  and  the  system  begins  to 
tolerate  it,  that  tobacco  acts  as  a  slight  stimulant  to 
many  organs.  First  to  the  brain,  like  wine  and  spirits 
in  small  quantities,  or  inflammation  in  its  very  earliest 
and  very  transitory  stage,  it  excites  to  an  unnatural 
degree  the  natural  function  of  the  part.  I  once  knew  a 
young  clergyman,  who  could  only  write  his  sermons 
under  the  stimulus  of  tobacco,  and  there  is  no  question 
that  these  discourses  were  brilliant,  eloquent,  and  most 


COMMUNICATIONS    AND    EXTRACTS.       87 

interesting  to  listen  to ;  but  the  end  of  that  man  is  not 
yet  come. 

"  In  the  same  way,  tobacco  is  a  stimulus  to  the  gene- 
rative system ;  but  the  stimulating  effect  is  much  earlier 
followed  by  its  depressing  action ;  consequently  it  haa 
long  been  known,  when  used  immoderately,  to  extinguish 
the  sexual  appetite,  and  annihilate  the  reproductive  fa- 
culty. It  is  a  prolific  source  of  spermatorrhoea.  During 
one  week  lately,  I  was  consulted  by  three  young  men 
suffering  from  seminal  weakness,  in  all  of  whom  I  could 
trace  this  drain  to  the  relaxing,  enervating  effect  of 
smoking.  Happy  would  it  be  for  them  if  the  abandon- 
ment of  the  vice  would  at  once  restore  them  to  health ; 
but  no !  the  evil  remains,  though  the  cause  is  removed 
— I  do  not  mean  remains  permanently,  because  all  such 
cases  are  ultimately,  though  sometimes  slowly,  curable. 
These  three  cases  are  merely  a  few  out  of  many  I  have 
seen  of  late  years. 

"  I  have  been  asked  to  produce  facU  in  proof  of  the 
deleterious  effects  of  tobacco,  and  facts  in  abundance 
shall  be  forthcoming  when  I  have  had  a  record  kept  of 
its  effects  in  my  hospital  cases )  but  the  facts  which  I 
have  now  by  me  being  private  cases,  contain  details  the 
relation  of  which  would  involve  a  breach  of  confidence 
which  nothing  would  justify.  No  man  likes  to  be  held 
up  as  a  victim  of  tobacco  smoke,  though  I  could  name 
many  whose  health  has  been  decidedly  injured  by  it.  I 
have  seen  many  cases  of  amaurosis,  both  in  the  incipient 
and  advanced  stage,  caused  by  smoking. 

'■^  I  know  a  valued  servant,  in  a  family  where  I  attend, 
whose  memory  was  failing  him,  his  face  getting  yellow; 


88       tobacco:  its   use  and  abuse. 

and  his  hand  shaking ;  so  that  those  who  did  not  kno-w 
him  attributed  his  condition  to  drinking.  He  abandoned 
smoking,  and  in  two  years  was  an  altered  man. 

"For  above  ten  years  I  smoked  occasionally;  and  I 
am  well  acquainted  with  all  the  soothing,  calming,  and, 
for  the  time,  agreeable  effect  of  a  cigar,  or  even  short 
pipe.  I  left  it  entirely  off  abiout  nine  years  since.  This 
I  did,  because  I  believed  it  impaired  my  nervous  energy; 
and  I  have  every  reason  to  be  satisfied  with  the  change. 
Sinc«  that  time  my  attention  has  been  uninterruptedly 
directed  to  the  question  —  Is  tobacco  smoking  positively 
injurious?  The  conclusion,  therefore,  which  I  have 
briefly  given  to  the  world  through  your  pages,  has  not 
been  hastily  or  capriciously  formed  on  a  few  isolated 
facts.  For  the  last  twenty  years  I  have  been  the  medi- 
cal examiner  of  various  insurance  offices  —  the  Royal 
Exchange,  the  Victoria,  the  Crown,  and  New  Equitable. 
The  two  former  I  still  hold.  In  my  examinations,  I  in- 
quire whether  the  examinees  are  in  the  habit  of  smoking; 
and  I  can  now  generally  tell  by  the  countenance  whether 
they  are  or  not  habitual  smokers.  If  I  have  any  doubt 
on  this  point,  an  examination  of  the  fauces  decides  it. 
The  fauces  of  the  smoker  are  always  more  or  less  injected 
and  rough,  presenting  the  appearance  of  a  piece  of  dirty 
red  velvet,  instead  of  the  pale,  pinkish,  lilac  hue  of  a 
healthy  throat.  The  tongue-,  when  smoking  is  not  com- 
bined with  drinking  spirits,  as  is  seldom  the  case  in  the 
upper  and  middle  classes,  is  usually  furred  and  white, 
but  not  otherwise  unhealthy.*     This  condition  of  the 

*  The  author  has  had  a  representation  made,  illustrating  these 
efifectt 


COMMUNICATIONS    AND    EXTRACTS.       89 

fauces  may  be  produced  by,  and  always  accompanies  tbe 
intemperate  use  of,  intoxicating  liquors ;  but  then  the 
tongue  is  unnaturally  red ;  the  papillae  at  the  tip  and 
gustatory  papillae  prominent  and  angry.  The  condition 
of  the  fauces  is  well  worthy  the  attention  of  the  profes- 
sion; let  them  notice  it,  if  possible,  in  almost  every 
patient  that  comes  before  them,  and  they  will  soon  be 
struck  with  the  correct  index  these  parts  afford  of  the 
habits  of  their  possessors.  There  is  one  source  of  fal- 
lacy which  must,  however,  be  guarded  against.  This  is 
a  temporary  vascular  injection,  induced  by  the  long- 
continued  straining  of  some  people,  when  requested  to 
take  a  deep  breath  for  the  purpose  of  showing  the  fauces. 
Where,  however,  the  examiner  is  aware  of  this  fact,  he 
will  find  no  difficulty  in  distinguishing  the  temporary- 
blush  from  the  permanent  stain.  I  may  here  add,  by- 
the-by,  that  I  have  occasionally  detected  habits  of  in- 
temperance, which  the  statement  of  the  examinee,  and 
the  letters  of  his  referees,  gave  no  note  of.  In  truth, 
there  are  many  men  who  habitually  drink  more  than  is 
consistent  with  longevity,  but  who  never  get  drunk. 
Such  men  invariably  declare  that  they  are  quite  tempe- 
rate. This  condition  of  the  tongue  and  fauces  is  not 
limited  to  the  mouth ;  it  is  not  a  mere  local  congestion ; 
it  exists,  more  or  less,  in  the  stomach,  and  the  rest  of 
the  alimentary  canal;  and  hence,  I  believe,  in  the  other- 
wise healthy  subject^  a  cigar  acts  as  a  moderate  purga- 
'  tive,  but  in  typhus  as  a  poison.  Can,  however,  any 
medical  man  assert,  that  it  is  natural  or  healthy  to  take 
an  aperient  daily  ?     In  the  habitual  smoker  the  heart  is 


90         TOBACCO:     ITS    USE    AND    ABUSE. 

irritable,  ahd  the  person  nervous;  tlie  pulse  frequently 
intermittent,  and  irregular  in  force  and  frequency. 

"  In  the  course  of  my  practice  I  have  met  with  many 
individuals  who,  like  myself,  have  abandoned  smoking, 
because  they  thought  it  did  not  agree  with  them.    Many 

•♦have  done  so  at  my  suggestion.  I  have  never  found  one 
who  does  not  assert,  most  positively,  that  he  has  been  in 
better  health  since,  and  that  his  intellectual  activity  has 
been  increased. 

"  With  regard  to  the  arguments  that  have  been  ad- 
duced in  favor  of  its  innocence,  I  will  first  advert  to  the 
Turks.  The  mental  condition  of  the  Turks,  as  a  nation, 
would  be  one  of  the  strongest  arguments  on  my  side, 
were  the  question  not  complicated  with  opium.  The 
fact  of  their  longevity  as  a  race  must  be  proved  by  sta- 
tistics, to  establish  the  opinion  that  smoking  does  not 
shorten  their  lives ;  but  even  then  it  would  not  prove 
that  smoking  is  innocuous  to  Englishmen.  My  asser- 
tion, that  it  is  especially  injurious  in  England,  applies 
to  the  young  men  of  this  country,  about  whom  I  am 
most  anxious,  because  they  all  live  up  to  fever-point.    I 

»  believe  that  the  injury  inflicted  by  a  pipe  of  tobacco  in 
the  mouth  of  a  poor  man,  who  lives  below  par  rather 
than  above  it,  cannot  be  appreciated ;  but  not  so  a  cigar 
smoked  by  a  man  who  lives  high,  and  uses  his  brain 
much.  It  matters  little  whether  the  mere  animal,  let 
him  be  in  the  shape  of  a  stock-broker's  clerk  or  a  coun- 
try voluptuary,  smokes  more  or  less;  but  I  am  sure  it  is 
incompatible  with  great  and  long-continued  intellectual 
activity,  and  that  amount  of  high  living  which  appears 


COMMUNICATIONS    AND    EXTRACTS.       91 

almost  necessary  to  health  in  the  imperfect  atmosphere 
of  great  towns. 

"  The  different  mode  of  living  on  the  Continent  and 
here,  renders  all  arguments  drawn  from  the  effect  of 
smoking  on  foreigners,  in  favor  of  the  habit,  scarcely 
applicable  to  the  inhabitants  of  this  island;  though  even 
in  Holland,  according  to  the  statement  of  that  interest- 
ing writer.  Dr.  Carlyon,  this  habit  is  fatal.  It  appears 
to  me,  that  it  is  our  duty  to  discourage  any  habit  that  is 
not  conducive  to  health,  and  equally  criminal  to  encou- 
rage a  habit  which  is  liable  to  become  a  master  and  a 
tyrant. 

"  The  gentry  and  aristocracy  of  this  country  must  not 
suppose  that  because  the  habit  of  smoking  does  not  lead 
in  their  case  to  drinking,  that  therefore  it  injures  them 
not.  Hundreds  of  gentlemen  smoke  without  drinking 
mwre  than  they  believe  is  conducive  to  health,  and 
smoking  does  not  in  their  persons  lead  to  intemperance. 
But  from  this  fact  the  habit  is  the  more  dangerously  in- 
sidious. Its  ill  effects  are  less  easily  observed )  the  habit 
advances  in  intensity  without  their  perceiving  any  objec- 
tion to  it )  but  the  penalty  is  paid  nevertheless,  and  an 
untimely  grave  is  often  the  result. 

"  One  of  the  best  riders  to  hounds  in  England,  who 
never  smokes,  told  me  that  he  required  much  less  sleep 
than  his  friends,  almost  all  of  whom  smoke ;  and  that 
they  often  remarked  with  astonishment  how  fresh  he 
always  was  in  the  morning,  notwithstanding  late  hours, 
champagne,  &c.  That  gallant  soldier.  General  Mark- 
ham,  whose  life  was  sacrificed  to  his  hasty  journey  from 
India,  nev?r  smoked  himself,  nor  would  he  allow  any  of 


92    tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

his  personal  staff  to  do  so,  so  strong  was  his  opinion  of 
its  injurious  tendency  to  the  soldier's  character. 

"  I  may  be  mistaken,  but  I  believe  that  all  our  great- 
est men  —  I  mean  intellectually — statesmen,  lawyers, 
warriors,  physicians,  and  surgeons,  have  either  not  been 
smokers,  or  if  smokers,  that  they  have  died  prematurely. 

"  My  friend,  Mr.  Whitfield,  the  resident  medical  officer 
at  St.  Thomas's  Hospital,  speaks  most  strongly  of  the 
injury  he  has  t^itnessed  from  habitual  smoking,  his  ex- 
perience extending  over  above  forty  years,  in  a  hospital 
containing  near  500  beds,  and  relieving  some  thousands 
of  out-patients  every  year.  He  has  seen  three  cases  of 
delirium  tremens  induced  by  tobacco  smoke  alone.  In 
none  of  these  cases  had  the  patients  indulged  in  drinking 
intoxicating  liquors,  so  that  there  was  no  doubt  of  the 
single  cause  of  the  disease." 

109.  The  following  extract  is  from  a  paper  on  the 
"  Effects  of  Tobacco  on  Europeans  in  India,'"  by  James 
Ranald  Martin,  Esq.,  in  the  Lancet  of  28th  February, 
1857:  — 

"  My  friend,  Mr.  Solly,  having  referred  to  what  I 
have  stated  in  the  work  on  '  The  Influence  of  Tropical 
Climates  on  European  Constitutions,'  respecting  the 
effects  of  the  abuse  of  tobacco,  and  believing  this  sub- 
ject to  be  one  seriously  affecting  the  public  health,  I 
beg  leave  to  state,  more  particularly  and  more  in  detail, 
some  of  the  results  of  my  observation  on  this  question. 

"  It  is  matter  of  constant  observation  amongst  army 
Burgeons,  ever  since  the  peace  of  1815,  that  the  habit 
of  cigar-smoking,  introduced  into  this  country  from 
Port  igal,  Spain,  and  France,  by  the  officers  of  the  British 


COMMUNICATIONS   AND    EXTRACTS.        93 

army,  has  produced  a  greater  amount  of  pale,  sallow  com* 
p.exions,  amongst  young  officers  more  especially,  than 
had  ever  before  been  observed  as  resulting  from  any 
other  cause.  Had  the  morbid  complexion  been  all,  the 
matter  would  have  been  of  little  importance ;  but  here 
it  generally  means  loss  of  appetite,  defective  nutrition, 
anaemia,  and  disordered  nervous  and  vascular  functions, 
all  in  the  same  individual.  My  observations  lead  me 
altogether  to  the  conclusions  of  Van  Praag,  that  the 
operation  of  tobacco  is  at  first  stimulant,  and  at  last  de- 
pressing, not  only  in  the  circulation  and  respiration,  but 
also  on  the  nervous  system ;  accelerated  circulation,  in- 
crease of  respiratory  movements,  and  excessive  irritation 
of  the  muscular  system,  being  th«  phenomena  first  ob- 
served. The  concluding  symptoms  are  those  of  general 
depression,  both  of  animal  and  organic  life,  with  occa- 
sional instances  of  moral  and  physical  impotency,  accom- 
panied by  the  most  mournful  results.  I  am  here  speaking 
of  what  I  have  witnessed. 

"  The  most  ordinary  results  of  excessive  use  of  to- 
bacco are  —  the  most  severe  forms  of  irritable  dyspepsia, 
giddiness,  disturbed  action  of  the  heart,  nervous  tre- 
mors, and  cachexia,  all  amounting  occasionally  to  palsy. 
Young  gentlemen  who  are  in  the  habit  of  putting  ^  an 
enemy  into  their  mouths  to  steal  away  their  brains,'  do 
not  become  aware  of  these  facts  until  it  sometimes  be 
comes  too  late.  A  highly  scientific  and  distinguished 
captain  of  engineers  of  the  Indian  army  told  me  —  'All 
the  young  fellows  of  my  term  who  went  out  to  India, 
having  bad  habits,  are  dead,  excepting  two.'  And  what 
has  become  of  them  ?  '  They  were  cashiered ! '  Her« 
18 


94        tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

the  question  of  tobacco  was  not  immediately  in  contem- 
plation ;  but  I  have  no  doubt  whatever,  from  the  result? 
of  my  observations  in  India  and  at  home,  that  of  the 
habits  which  led  to  this  sad  end,  the  abuse  of  tobacco 
was,  amongst  these  young  officers,  the  most  banefully 
influential. 

"  I  dispute  the  alleged  benefits  of  even  moderate  to- 
bacco smoking  as  a  preventive  of  damp  or  of  malaria  j 
and  seriously  anomalous  symptoms  I  have  seen  to  arise, 
in  the  progress  of  malarious  fevers,  from  the  abuse  of 
it  —  such  symptoms  as  may  lead  to  the  most  grave  mis- 
takes in  the  treatment  of  fevers,  if  the  medical  officer 
be  not  careful  to  inquire  into  the  habits  of  his  patient. 
Of  this  also  I  have  seen  the  most  emphatic  examples. 
Those  who  urge  the  prophylactic  benefits  of  tobacco, 
carry  the  habit  from  the  swamps  of  Burmah  into  the 
arid  plains  of  Hindostan,  in  defiance  of  geographical 
differences. 

^'  I  can  state  of  my  own  observation,  that  the  miseries, 
mental  and  bodily,  which  I  have  witnessed  from  the 
abuse  of  cigar-smoking,  and  chiefly  in  young  men,  far 
exceeded  any  thing  detailed  in  the  '  Confessions  of  an 
Opium  Eater ; '  and  I  feel  assured  that  the  abuse  of  to- 
bacco, however  employed,  may  be  classified  amongst 
those  habits  which  produce  chronic  poisoning." 

110.  In  the  Laiicet  for  14th  March,  1857,  page  281, 
there  is  an  appalling  account  of  the  death  of  a  woman 
who  had  become  paralytic,  apparently  from  excetssive 
smoking  of  tobacco,  and  whose  death  was  occasioned  by 
her  clothes  having  taken  fire  from  her  pipe. 


COMMUNICATIONS   AND    EXTRACTS.        95 

111.  In  the  Lancet  for  28th  February,  1857,  Mr.  Hig- 
ginbottom,  of  Nottingham,  says : 

"After  fifty  years  of  most  extensive  and  varied  prac- 
tice in  my  profession,  I  have  come  to  the  decision,  that 
smoking  is  a  main  cause  of  ruining  our  young  men, 
pauperizing  the  working-men,  and  rendering  compara- 
tively useless  the  best  efforts  of  ministers  of  religion." 
The  proverbial  drunkenness  of  our  countrymen  can 
only  be  arrested  by  laying  the  axe  at  the  root  of  its 
superinducing  cause,  the  thirst-creating  power  of  to- 
bacco. '  Penury  and  crime,'  says  a  medical  temperance 
reformer,  '  are  brought  on  by  drinking,  to  supply  moist- 
ure to  the  system,  after  it  has  been  drained  by  spitting 
away  the  flourishing  saliva.  Hence  drunkenness  in  the 
masses." 

112.  Extract  from  an  article  by  J.  Pidduck,  M.  D.,  in 
the  Lancet  of  14th  February,  1856  : — 

"As  physician  to  ti  dispensary  in  St.  Giles's  during 
sixteen  years,  I  had  extensive  opportunities  of  observing 
the  effects  of  tobacco  upon  the  health  of  a  very  large 
number  of  habitual  smokers.  The  extraordinary  fact  is 
this :  that  leeches  were  killed  instantly  by  the  blood  of 
the  smokers,  so  suddenly  that  they  dropped  off  dead 
immediately  they  were  applied ;  and  that  fleas  and  bugs, 
whose  bites  on  the  children  were  as  thick  as  measles, 
rarely  if  ever  attacked  the  smoking  parent.  It  may  be 
said :  ^  But  why  may  not  this  poisonous  effect  upon 
leeches,  fleas,  and  bugs,  be  owing  to  gin,  and  not  to- 
bacco V  The  answer  to  this  objection  is,  that  the  Arabs 
and  Bedouins,  who  drink  neither  wine  nor  strong  drink, 
are  protected  from  the  onslaught  of  the  insects,  which 


96      tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

swarm  in  their  tents,  by  poisoning  their  blood  with  to. 
baeco,  whilst  the  wine  and  spirit-drinking  Europeans 
are  attacked  without  mercy.  What  is  so  fatal  to  insect 
life,  cannot  be  otherwise  than  most  formidable  to  the  life 
of  persons  whose  blood  is  thus  poisoned.  If  the  evil 
ended  with  the  individual  who,  by  the  indulgence  of  a 
pernicious  custom,  injures  his  own  health,  and  impairs 
his  faculties  of  mind  and  body,  he  might  be  left  to  his 
enjoyments — his  ^Fools'  Paradise^ — unmolested.  This, 
however,  is  not  the  case :  in  no  instance  is  the  sin  of  the 
father  more  strikingly  visited  upon  his  children,  than 
the  sin  of  tobacco  smoking.  The  enervation,  the  hypo- 
chondriasis, the  hysteria,  the  insanity,  the  dwarfish  de- 
formities, the  consumption,  the  sufiering  lives  and  early 
deaths  ot  the  children  of  inveterate  smokers,  bear  ample 
testimony  to  the  feebleness  and  unsoundness  of  the  con- 
stitution transmitted  by  this  pernicious  habit. 

^'  How  is  it,  then,  that  the  Eastern  nations  have  not, 
ere  this,  become  exterminated  by  a  practice  which  is 
almost  universal  ?  The  reply  is,  that  by  early  marriage, 
before  the  habit  is  fully  formed,  or  its  injurious  efi'ects 
decidedly  developed,  the  evil  to  the  offspring  is  pre- 
vented; but  in  this  country,  where  smoking  is  com- 
menced early,  and  marriage  is  contracted  late  in  life, 
the  evil  is  entailed  in  full  force  upon  the  offspring. 
Adulterations  of  all  kinds  are  bad  enough,  but  the 
adulteration  by  a  narcotic  —  poisoning  the  life  at  its 
source,  the  breath;  and,  in  its  course,  the  blood  —  is 
worse  than  all.  By  these  adulterations,  the  health  of 
the  community  is  injured;  by  this,  a  man  injures  his 
own  health  and  that  of  his  children.     Ought  not  this 


COMMUNICATIONS    AND    EXTRACTS.       97 

consideration  to  restrain  every  wise  and  good  man  from 
contracting  or  continuing  such  a  senseless  and  destruc- 
tive habit  of  self-indulgence  ?  For  old  men,  smoking 
may  be  tolerated;  bat  for  young  men  and  boys,  it  can- 
not be  too  severely  reprobated." 

113.  The  following  extract  is  from  the  article,  "  Is 
Smoking  Injurious?"  in  the  Lancet  of  31st  January, 
1857,  by  Dr.  Johnson : 

"  What  is  the  testimony  of  facts  ?  Why,  for  one  in- 
veterate smoker  who  will  bear  testimony  favorable  to  the 
practice,  ninety-nine  such,  of  the  candid  of  these,  are 
found  to  declare  their  belief  that  this  practice  is  inju- 
rious ;  and  I  scarcely  ever  yet  met  with  one  habitual 
smoker  who  did  not,  in  his  candid  moments,  regret  his 
commencement  of  the  habit, 

"A  few  weeks  since,  I  was  summoned  to  attend  a 
gentleman  in  the  country.  On  my  arrival  I  found  him 
complaining  of  headache,  nausea,  languor,  loss  of  appe- 
tite and  sleep,  and  inability  to  rise  in  the  morning ;  his 
expression  was  anxious,  haggard,  and  nervous;  his  com- 
plexion sallow  and  jaundice-looking;  his  tongue  highly 
furred,  and  teeth  incrusted  with  a  dirty  greenish-yellow 
deposit;  his  breath,  which  was  exceedingly  oflfensive 
from  the  odor  of  tobacco,  revealed  to  my  mind  the  na- 
ture of  the  evil.  On  my  inquiry,  he  informed  me  that 
for  many  years  he  had  indulged  rather  freely  in  the  use 
of  tobacco,  declaring,  at  the  same  time,  that  ever  since 
his  apprenticeship  to  smoking,  the  pernicious  habit  had 
gradually  and  insidiously  crept  upon  him,  till  at  length 
it  became  confirmed.  I  persuaded  him  to  desist  from 
its  indulgence,  and  succeeded ;  but  he  found  the  task  a 
a 


98      tobacco:   its   use   and   abuse. 

terrible  one,  so  enslaving  is  the  habit.  After  a  short 
time,  however,  he  succeeded  in  conquering  the  appetite. 
Many  of  the  symptoms  have  entirely  disappeared,  and 
he  is  now  considerably  improved.  Is  not  this  case,  in 
the  experience  of  most  medical  men,  the  type  of  thou- 
sands more  ? 
V  "  It  is  a  certain  fact,  that  devoted  smokers  are  liable 
to  bq,th  constitutional  and  local  disorders  of  very  serious 
characters.'.  Among  the  former,  we  notice  giddiness, 
sickness,  vomiting,  dyspepsia,  diarrhoea,  angina  pectoris, 
diseases  of  the  liver,  pancreas,  and  heart,  nervousness, 
amaurosis,  paralysis,  apoplexy,  atrophy,  deafness,  and 
mania.  Amongst  the  latter,  ulceration  of  the  lips  (not 
unfrequently  of  a  syphilitic  character,  from  the  morbid 
matter  introduced  into  the  healthy  subject,  by  smoking 
cigars  or  pipes  which  have  been  used  by  diseased  per- 
sons), ulceration  of  gums,  cheeks,  mucous  membrane  of 
the  mouth,  tonsils,  throat,  etc. 

"  Most  of  these  results  I  have  selected  from  authors 
of  some  locus  standi — amongst  whom  I  may  mention 
Prs.  Prout,  Bright,  Laycock,  Radcliflfe  and  Ranking, 
Pereira,  Orfila,  Trousseau,  Johnstone,  Sir  B.  Brodie, 
and  Professor  Lizars.  Dr.  Taylor,  in  his  valuable  work 
on  Poisons,  says :  '  That  a  poisonous  substance  like  to- 
bacco, whether  in  powder,  juice,  or  vapor,  cannot  be 
brought  in  contact  with  an  absorbing  surface  like  mucous 
membrane,  without  in  many  cases  producing  disorder  of 
the  system,  which  the  consumer  is  probably  quite  ready 
to  attribute  to  any  other  cause  than  that  which  would 
render  it  necessary  for  him  to  deprive  himself  of  what 


COMMUNICATIONS   AND    EXTRACTS.        99 

he  considers  not  merely  as  a  luxury,  but  an  article 
actually  necessary  to  his  existence/  —  p.  787. 

"  The  quantity  of  this  poisonous  weed  entered  for 
'  home  consumption '  in  the  eleven  months  ending  No- 
vember, 1856,  was  29,776,082  lbs.  The  deleterious 
effects  which  this  enormous  amount  of  tobacco  produced 
upon  its  victims,  both  physically,  mentally,  and  morally, 
admits  of  no  possible  calculation." 

114.  Dr.  Pugh,  in  the  Lancet  of  21st  February,  1857, 
says: 

"  I  have  read  with  interest  the  communications  of  Mr. 
Solly  which  you  have  recently  published ;  and  having 
been  fawrably  circumstanced,  during  nearly  twenty 
years'  practice  in  the  Australian  colonies,  for  observing 
the  pathological  conditions  arising  out  of  the  habitual 
use  of  tobacco,  I  beg  to  add  a  few  facts  to  those  already 
before  the  profession. 

"  The  life  of  an  Australian  squatter,  without  the  set- 
tled districts,  is  one  of  an  exceedingly  monotonous  cha- 
racter. He  passes  into  positions  far  removed  from  all 
intercourse  with  intelligent  companions;  he  enjoys  few 
of  the  ameliorating  circumstances  which  give  a  charm 
to  social  life.  His  home  is  situated  in  the  solitude  of 
the  vast  plain  in  which  his  flocks  are  fed,  and  he  is 
visited  only  by  those  who  are  in  his  employ.  For  the 
year  together,  no  opportunity  occurs  for  interchange  of 
thought  with  educated  minds.  Thus  circumstanced,  it 
is  not  surprising  that  an  occasional  instance  is  presented 
of  men  becoming  slaves  to  an  agent  by  which  they  are 
enabled  to  pass  in  dreamy  stupor  a  portion  of  the  weary 
time  of  their  voluntary  banishment.    Unfortunately,  tho 


100      tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

occasional  pipe  of  tobacco  is  soon  merged  into  a  life, 
•where  no  moment  is  tolerable  in  wbich  the  narcotic 
yapor  is  withbeld.  His  morning  smoke  is  commenced 
■while  in  his  bed  -,  his  day  is  passed  in  a  cloud ;  and  the 
pipe  accompanies  him  when  retiring  to  rest,  to  be  laid 
aside  when  overpowering  sleep  prevents  its  further  use. 
The  first  visible  effects  of  such  a  life  are  a  disregard  for 
cleanliness  and  personal  appearance.  The  features  be- 
come bloated,  and  the  lips  lose  their  healthy  hue.  The 
cheerful  and  active  movement  has  given  place  to  a  heavy 
listlessness.  The  character  of  the  man  has  undergone 
a  change.  When  roused,  he  attends  to  business,  but 
rapidly  returns  to  a  state  of  abstraction,  ^speptic 
symptoms  annoy  him,  and  soon  the  heart  becomes  irri- 
table, and  the  pulse  is  irregular.  Hypochondriasis  in 
its  worse  forms  is  presented,  accompanied  at  times  with 
a  suicidal  tendency;  and  I  have  known  individuals  in 
this  condition  rush  to  the  town,  dreading  the  conse- 
quences of  a  longer  continuance  in  their  life  of  solitude. 
The  brain  and  ganglionic  system  become  involved,  and 
I  have  seen  softening,  accompanied  by  paralysis.  Amau- 
rosis is  not  an  unfrequent  indicator  of  the  existing 
nervous  prostration.  When  under  treatment,  whether 
from  disease  or  accident,  the  inveterate  tobacco-smoker 
quickly  presents  evidence  of  the  constitutional  opera- 
tions of  the  narcotic.  Typhoid  symptoms  show  them- 
selves at  a  very  early  stage,  and  smoking  delirium  is 
present,  which  require  to  be  combated  by  active  tonic 
remedies. 

"No  alcoholic  beverage  reaches  the  distant  station. 
Tea  and  tobacco  are  the  luxuries  of  bush  Hfe;  hence  a 


COMMUNICATIONS   AND    EXTRACTS.      101 

facility  is  afforded  for  connecting  the  physiological  effecta 
with  their  exciting  cause  —  tobacco! 

"  If  such  be  the  consequences  of  excessive  and  coii" 
tinned  doses  of  narcotine,  can  we  suppose  that  no  mis- 
chief will  accrue  to  the  children  of  this  country  who  are 
to  be  daily  seen  recklessly  enjoying  the  pipe  or  the  cigar  i 
I  fear  a  healthy  nutrition  is  incompatible  with  the  pro 
ceeding,  and  think,  with  Mr.  Solly,  that  the  future  hap 
piness  of  the  people  of  England  may  be  jeopardized  by 
a  practice,  which  intercourse  with  our  continental  neigh- 
bors has  rendered  so  popular/^ 

115.  Mr.  M'Donald,  Surgeon  to  the  Garnkirk  and 
Heathfield  works,  says : 

"  Having  paid  some  attention  to  the  effects  of  tobacco- 
smoking  on  th-e  system,  I  have  noted  down  a  few  obser- 
vations made  over  a  wide  field. 

"  Sailors  and  navvies  smoke  more  than  any  other 
class.  The  sailor  uses  from  8  oz.  to  16  oz.  of  tobacco 
per  month;  the  navvy,  8  oz.  or  10  oz.;  but  part  of  this 
is  chewed.  Bad  taste  in  the  mouth,  with  sometimes  an 
angry,  irritable  point  on  the  tongue,  lips,  or  fauces, 
which  prevents  him  from  smoking  for  a  few  days,  are 
the  only  bad  results  I  have  observed.  It  does  not  ap- 
pear to  affect  the  nervous  system  of  either  of  these 
classes.  The  miner  uses  above  8  oz.  per  month.  Often 
breathing  an  impure  air,  the  tone  of  his  system  is  low- 
ered, and  then  tobacco  exerts  its  baneful  influence  on 
him.  He  is  subject  to  dyspeptic,  bilious,  and  nervous 
attacks,  while  those  who  do  not  smoke  are  invariably  the 
healthiest. 

<'  Now,  let  the  sailor  or  navvy  take  to  sedentary  em- 


102      tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

ployment,  and  in  a  sliort  time  tobacco-smoking  begins  to 
affect  him  as  it  does  the  man  of  sedentary  habits.  His 
hand  begins  to  shake,  his  mouth  feels  clammy  and  he 
has  a  bad  taste  in  it ;  he  loses  to  a  great  extent  his  fine 
gustatory  sense ;  his  appetite  becomes  .  capricious ;  he 
feels  languid  and  indolent;  his  memory  becomes  con- 
fused ;  he  has  cardiac  disturbance ;  and  spermatorrhoea, 
with  all  its  evil  results,  not  unfrequently  comes  on  from 
smoking.  A  strong  constitution  may  resist  it  for  a  few 
years,  but  it  ultimately  gains  the  victory.  It  is  gene- 
rally supposed,  that  those  who  labor  in  the  open  air  are 
exempted  from  its  bad  effects.  This  is  only  the  case  in 
certain  conditions.  They  must  be  well  fed.  On  the 
laborer  with  low  wages,  it  exerts  its  baneful  influence — 
first,  from  its  own  effects ;  secondly,  from  squandering  a 
large  portion  of  that  which  should  go  to  nourish  him, 
whereby  he  is  still  further  debilitated. 

"  I  may  mention  a  curious  fact,  not  generally  known, 
but  which  requires  only  to  be  tried  to  be  proved,  viz., 
that  no  smoker  can  think  steadily  or  continuously  on  any 
subject  while  smoking.  He  cannot  follow  out  a  train 
of  ideas  —  to  do  so  he  must  lay  aside  his  pipe. 

"  On  woman  it  takes  a  sad  hold.  She  soon  becomes 
lazy  and  indolent,  of  dirty  habits,  and  makes  bad  recove- 
ries from  her  confinements;  her  children  at  the  breast 
are  liable  to  erysipelatous  and  other  skin  diseases. 

"  In  Scotland,  in  addition  to  the  effects  of  tobacco, 
may  be  added  those  of  its  adulterations,  viz.,  copperas, 
•Bait  of  tartar,  saltpetre,  and  sand.  The  salts  cause  the 
tobacco  to  feel  intensely  hot  and  acrid,  irritating  mostly 
all  the  mucous  membranes.     These  adulteratioas  ara 


COMMUNICATIONS  AND    EXTRACTS.     103 

added  to  give  color,  and  by  retaining  a  large  amount  of 
water,  to  cheat  both  revenue  and  consumer.  It  gives 
rise  to  that  form  of  caries  of  the  teeth  which  com- 
mences by  internal  decay.  The  tooth  being  unduly 
stimulated  by  tl^  oft-applied  heat,  a  bony  deposit  takes 
place  on  the  fangs,  the  canals  are  partially  or  wholly 
obliterated,  and  the  supply  of  nourishment  being  cut  off, 
some  day,  while  perhaps  eating  a  piece  of  soft  bread, 
the  crown  gives  way,  and  the  tooth  rapidly  crumbles 
down.  Sand  is  used  to  a  very  great  extent,  finely  sifted ; 
it  perhaps  is  harmless,  but  affords  a  good  illustration 
of  how  openly  adulteration  can  be  carried  on  in  a  free 
country. 

"  In  conclusion,  I  may  state,  that  the  germs  of  pre- 
mature decay,  which  abuse  of  tobacco  is  spreading 
through  the  country,  will  ultimately,  in  my  opinion, 
prove  more  overwhelming  than  even  the  serioiis  abuse 
of  intoxicating  liquors." 

116.  The  following  is  an  extract  from  a  communica- 
tion in  the  Lancet,  by  Walter  Tyrrell,  M.  R.  C.  S. 

''  More  especially  would  I  direct  attention  to  the  de- 
pressing influence  of  tobacco  on  the  sexual  powers.  I 
feel  confident,  that  one  of  the  most  common,  as  well  as 
one  of  the  worst,  of  its  effects,  is  that  of  weakening,  and 
in  extreme  cases,  of  destroying  the  generative  functions. 
I  can  illustrate  this  by  a  case  which  came  under  my 
notice  recently,  and  one  which  I  believe  to  be  by  no 
means  rare.  My  attention  has  just  been  directed  to 
the  subject  by  Mr,  Lizars'  admirable  paper,  when  a 
gentleman  called  to  consult  me,  as  he  found  himself 
impotent.     He  was  a  young  man,  in  apparently  good 


104     tobacco:  its   use  and  abuse. 

health,  and  his  generative  organs  showed  no  signs  of 
disease  or  decay.  He  stated  that  it  was  only  during  the 
last  few  months  that  he  had  found  his  desire  for  con- 
nection gradually  decreasing,  and  that  when  he  did 
attempt  it,  his  efforts  were  altogether  futile,  or  only  con- 
summated after  a  long  interval.  On  inquiry  into  the 
supposed  cause,  amongst  other  matters,  I  found  he  had 
latterly  become  a  great  smoker,  sometimes  smoking  a 
dozen  cigars  a  day.  Without  particularly  directing  his 
attention  to  that  point,  I  ordered  him  to  confine  himself 
to  one  cigar  'a  day,  at  the  same  time  ordering  him  a 
'  placebo.'  At  the  end  of  a  fortnight  he  called  again, 
saying  he  was  very  much  improved ;  he  had  greater  de- 
sires, and  more  power  of  satisfying  them.  I  now  told 
him  he  might  resume  his  smoking,  but  continue  the 
medicine,  to  which  he  attributed  all  the  benefit,  telling 
him  that  he  need  not  call  again  unless  he  found  him- 
self worse.  In  a  few  days  he  returned  with  exactly  the 
same  symptoms  as  at  first.  I  was  now  convinced  of  the 
cause,  and  ordered  him  entirely,  though  gradually,  to 
leave  off  the  habit.  He  was  at  first  unwilling  to  sub- 
mit ;  and  it  was  not  until  I  had  repeated  my  former  ex- 
periment, with,  if  possible,  more  positive  results,  that 
he  consented.  He  has,  I  am  glad  to  say,  perfectly  car- 
ried out  his  good  resolutions,  and  with  a  perfectly  suc- 
cessful result. 

*'  This  case,  I  think,  satisfactorily  proves  that,  in  some 
persons  at  least,  tobacco  is  not  the  harmless  luxury  many 
would  make  it;  and  I  am  sure  this  case  has  many  paral- 
his.'' 


COMMUNICATIONS    AND    EXTRACTS.     105 

117.  Statistics  of  France,  from  Lancet  of  14tli  Feb- 
ruary, 1857. 

"  From  1851  to  1856,  France,  according  to  the  last 
census,  has  gained  only  256,000  inhabitants  In  the 
Bame  number  of  years,  from  1841  to  1846,  the  increase 
was  1,200,000.  The  difference  is  enormous.^'  —  (Se*e 
The  Times,  January  29,  1857.) 

118.  The  following  extract  is  from  an  account  by  Mr. 
Erichsen,  in  the  Lancet  of  21st  February,  1857,  of  a 
case  of  slow  poisoning  by  snuff  containing  lead : 

"  I  was  particularly  struck  with  the  appearance  of 
the  hands  and  arms,  which  were  lying  powerless  on  the 
coverlid  of  the  bed.  There  was  marked  ^wrist-drop' 
of  both  arms  —  the  hands  hanging  flaccid  and  at  right 
angles  with  the  forearms,  without  the  patient  being  able 
to  extend  or  raise  them  in  the  smallest  degree.  There 
was,  however,  some  slight  power  of  extension  left  in  the 
fingers,  especially  in  those  of  the  left  hand.  Though 
unable  to  extend  the  fingers,  raise  the  hand,  and  scarcely 
having  power  to  elevate  the  arm,  Mr.  A.  B.  could  Jlex 
the  fingers  pretty  firmly,  so  as  to  give  a  tolerably  good 
grasp  to  whatever  was  put  into  his  hand.  The  index 
finger  of  the  right  hand  seemed  to  be  the  most  affected, 
and  was  permanently  flexed. 

"  There  was  a  very  marked  degree  of  wasting  of  the 
whole  mass  of  the  extensor  muscles  of  the  forearm,  so 
that  a  longitudinal  hollow  corresponding  to  the  interos- 
seous space  was  perceptible  down  the  whole  length  of 
the  forearm,  and  a  very  deep  and  marked^  depression  in 
the  interspace  between  the  first  and  second  metacarpal 


106     tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

bones.    The  hands  were  quite  powerless,  and  the  patient 
was  unable  to  render  himself  the  slightest  assistance. 

"The  tongue  was  pale  and  flabby;  and,  on  exami- 
ning the  gums,  I  found  a  deep  blue-black  or  leaden 
colored  line  around  the  teeth,  more  marked  about  the 
molars. 

"Digestion  was  much  impaired.  Appetite  capricious, 
with  much  flatulence,  and  occasional  attacks  of  consti- 
pation, with  colicky  pains. 

"On  examining  Mr..A.  B.,  I  was  at  once  struck  by 
the  very  marked  '  wrist-drop,'  more  complete  than  I  had 
ever  seen  before ;  the  limitation  of  the  paralysis  to  the 
extensors,  which  were  greatly  wasted ;  the  existence  of 
a  blue  line  around  the  teeth ;  and  the  occurrence  of  oc- 
casional attacks  of  constipation  and  colic,  together  with 
flying  pains  in  the  fleshy  parts  of  the  body,  with  absence 
of  all  articular  inflammation.  These  symptoms  led  me 
to  the  conclusion,  that  Mr.  A.  B.  was  sufi'ering  from 
saturnine  paralysis,  and  that  he  had  been  slowly  poi- 
soned by  lead. 

"  In  the  course  of  my  inquiries,  however,  I  found 
that  he  took  snuff  in  considerable  quantities.  I  accord- 
ingly emptied  his  box  of  its  contents,  and  took  them  up 
to  town  with  me,  with  a  view  to  further  examination. 
The  snuff  was  analyzed  by  Professor  Williamson,  who 
immediately  detected  in  it  a  considerable  quantity  of 
lead;  and  another  supply  having  been  procured  from 
the  shop  at  which  Mr.  A.  B.  was  in  the  habit  of  pur- 
chasing it^  wa^  subjected  to  analysis  by  Dr.  Garrod,  who 
readily  detected  large  quantities  of  the  metal  in  it." 

119.  When  snuff  is  packed  "  in  boxes  lined  with  ver^ 


COMMUNICATIONS    AND    EXTRACTS.     107 

thin  lead,  which  are  much  used  by  the  Paris  retailers,  a 
chemical  action  takes  place,  the  result  of  which  is  to 
charge  the  snuflF  with  subacetate  of  lead.  Mayer  of 
Berlin  traces  several  deaths  and  cases  of  ^  saturnine 
paralysis'  to  the  patients  having  taken  snuflF  from 
packets,  the  inner  envelope  of  which  was  thin  sheet- 
lead,  in  constant  contact  with  the  powdered  weed.''  — 
From  the  Athcnseum,  2d  Octoher,  1858. 

120.  Dr.  Bucknill,  of  the  Devon  County  Asylum,  in 
his  communication  to  the  Lancet,  28th  February,  1857, 
argues  that  "  the  preponderance  of  lunatics  of  the  fe- 
male sex,  is  conclusive  evidence  against  the  theory  that 
tobacco  either  causes  or  predisposes  to  mental  disease." 
But  the  accuracy  of  Dr.  Bucknill's  statistical  argument 
is  liable  to  many  objections.  It  may  be  diflferently  ex- 
plained; and  I  have  tables  furnished  to  me  on  the  sub- 
ject, which  I  could  adduce,  if  necessary,  establishing 
an  opposite  conclusion.  At  all  events.  Dr.  Bucknill 
seems  to  have  overlooked  the  many  powerfully  exciting 
and  predisposing  causes  rendering  females  liable  to 
attacks  of  insanity. 

121.  A  scientific  physician,  on  reading  Dr.  Bucknill's 
communication  in  the  Lancet,  observed  that  "  Dr.  Buck- 
nill blows  hot  and  cold  on  the  tobacco  blast ; "  and  on 
Dr.  Pretty's  paper  in  the  same  number  of  the  Lancet^ 
that  '^  Dr.  Pretty  adduces  'pretty  proofs  of  contradiction 
and  absurd  reasoning." 

122.  It  the  Asylum  Journal  of  Mental  Science  for 
October,  1857,  vol.  iv.  No.  23,  edited  by.  Dr.  Bucknill, 
there  is  a  statistical  account  or  memorial  drawn  up  by 
a  Miss  Dix,  of  the  Hospitals  for  the  Insane  in  the 


108     tobacco:  its  use  and  abtjse. 

United  States,  from  which  I  extract  the  following  :  "  In 
the  Massachusetts  State  Hospital,  in  1843,  there  were 
eight  cases  of  insanity  produced  by  the  abuse  of  to- 
bacco." 

123.  Dr.  Kirkbride,  in  his  report  of  the  Pennsylvaoia 
Hospital  for  the  Insane  for  1849,  states  that  "  two  cases 
in  men  and  five  in  women  were  caused  by  the  use  of 
opium,  and  four  in  men  by  the  use  of  tobacco."  "  The 
use  of  tobacco,"  continues  he,  "has,  in  many  indivi- 
duals, a  most  strijiing  effect  on  the  nervous  system ;  and 
its  general  use  in  the  community  is  productive  of  more 
serious  efi"ects  than  is  commonly  supposed." 

124.  The  following  interesting  case  has  been  sent  me 
by  a  medical  friend,  -the  ordinary  attendant  on  the  pa/- 
tient.  A  gentleman  about  thirty-five  years  of  age,  long 
addicted  to  drinking,  smoking,  and  chewing,  became 
quite  fatuous,  and  subject  to  fits  closely  resembling  epi- 
lepsy. He  was  removed  to  a  lunatic  asylum,  where  the 
ardent  spirits  were  first  given  up ;  but  no  change  for  the 
better  for  six  months.  The  smoking  tobacco  was  then 
reduced,  when  some  little  improvement  took  place ;  and 
when  both  the  smoking  and  chewing  tobacco  were  re- 
duced, a  great  amendment  followed ;  and  when  totally 
given  up,  the  fits  ceased,  and  he  became  perfectly  sane. 
It  is  upwards  of  two  years  since  he  became  rational  and 
free  from  the  fits ;  and  when  interrogated,  what  was  the 
cause  of  his  mental  alienation  and  fits  ?  he  unhesitatingly 
ascribes  them  to  the  use  of  tobacco. 

125.  The  next  case  corroborates  the  efi"ects  of  tobacco 
on  the  nervous  system.  A  strong,  brawny  carter,  thirty 
years  of  age,  states  that  five  years  ago  he  was  struck 


COMMUNICATIONS    AND    EXTRACTS.     109 

gpeechless,  and  paralytic  of  his  left  side,  which  he 
ascribed  to  smoking  tobacco,  generally  half-an-ounce 
daily,  since  he  was  a  boy.  He  lay  powerless  for  some 
weeks  among  his  friends,  being  unable  to  earn  his  live- 
lihood. In  twelve  months,  he  so  far  recovered  as  to  lead 
a  horse,  and  has  since  slowly  recovered.  Still,  he  cannot 
grasp  with  his  left  as  with  his  right  hand.  He  "  threw 
away  tobacco  forever,"  from  the  day  of  his  paralytic  attack. 
October  9th,  1858. 

126.  Dr.  Carlyon,  in  his  ^^  Early  Years  and  Late  Re- 
flections," writes  as  follows : 

"  What  can  be  more  deleterious  than  tobacco.  Many 
an.  honest  Deutscher  have  I  seen  smoking  himself  into 
the  •'grave ! 

'  Rauch  —  Rauch  —  immer  Rauch ! ' 

the  countenance  pale  and  haggard;  the  frame  emaciated; 
the  propensity  to  smoke  irresistible ! 

'A  pipe !  a  pipe !    My  heart's  blood  for  a  pipe !  * 

Neither  is  there  need  of  much  physiological  acuteness 
to  account  for  the  bad  effects  of  this  pernicious  habit  on 
the  health.  Tobacco  is  a  very  powerful  narcotic  poison. 
If  the  saliva,  the  secretion  of  which  it  provokes,  be 
impregnated  with  its  essential  oil,  and  so  swallowed,  the 
deleterious  influence  is  communicated  directly  with  the 
stomach ;  or  if,  as  more  frequently  happens,  it  is  ejected, 
then  the  blandest  fluid  of  the  human  frame  —  that 
which,  as  a  solvent  and  diluent,  performs  an  office  in 
digestion  secondary  only  to  the  gastric  juice  itself — is 
lost.  Even  snuff,  my  old  friend  Abernethy  used  to 
say,  fuddles  the  nose;  but  the  fumes  of  tobacco  pos- 
19 


110      tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

sess  a  power  of  stupefying  all  the  senses  and  all  tha 
faculties,  by  slow  but  enduring  intoxication,  into  dull 
obliviousness. 

"I  recollect  reading  the  address  of  a  professor,  in 
some  American  University,  to  his  pupils,  on  the  bad 
effects  of  tobacco.  This  address,  sensible  and  spirited, 
seemed  to  come  from  the  professor's  very  heart.  He 
deprecated,  in  the  most  forcible  manner,  the  practice 
of  smoking,  which  had  been  recently  taken  up,  and 
said,  *  That  prior  to  the  period  when  pipes  were  to  be 
seen  in  the  mouth  of  every  student,  the  youth  of  the 
University  were  as  different  in  their  looks  from  the  indi- 
viduals with  whom  he  was  then  surrounded,  as  health 
from  disease.' "  • 

He  gives  the  following  translation  of  an  epigram,  by 
Petrus  Scriverinus,  on  a  tobacco-pipe  : 

"  Old  men  and  young,  beware  !  beware ! 
A  pipe  of  tobacco  is  Satan's  snare ; 
Not  surer  the  net  for  birds  is  spread, 
By  the  pipe's  sweet  note  to  capture  led. 
Than  the  whifiFs  which  the  lovers  of  smoking  take, 
Are  sure  to  lead  to  the  Stygian  lake." 

127.  Dr.  Taylor,  who,  as  an  accurate  analyst,  and  an 
enlightened  medical  jurist,  has  deservedly  earned  a  name 
of  the  highest  authority  in  all  medico-legal  questions,  in 
his  work  on  Poisons,  says : 

"A  poisonous  substance  like  tobacco,  whether  in 
powder,  juice,  or  vapor,  cannot  be  brought  in  contact 
with  an  absorbing  surface,  like  mucous  membrane,  with- 
dut  in  many  cases  producing  disorder  of  the  system, 
■^hich  the  consumer  is  probably  quite  ready  to  attribute 


COMMUNICATIONS   AND    EXT  I.  ACTS        111 

to  any  other  cause  than  that  which  would  render  it  neces- 
sary for  him  to  deprive  himself  of  what  he  considers, 
not  merely  a  luxury,  but  an  article  actually  necessary  to 
his  existence." 

128.  In  the  Half-yearly  Abstract  of  the  Medical  Sci- 
ences, vol.  i.,  p.  73,  there  is  an  interesting  collection  of 
cases  of  disease  produced  by  tobacco.  They  show  the 
terrible  effect  of  the  plant  on  the  digestive  and  nervous 
systems.  The  first  is  that  of  a  young  American  lawyer, 
who  "  used  (the  weed)  freely,  by  smoking,  chewing,  and 
snuffing.''  He  labored  under  "  acidity,  cardialgia,  gas- 
trodynia,  palpitation  of  the  heart,  giddiness,  vertigo,  and 
fulness  of  the  head,  with  the  most  profound  gloom; 
keenly  alive  to  evel-y  feeling,  he  was  in  constant  fear  of 
death,  yet  tempted  to  commit  suicide  to  escape  from  a 
life  more  intolerable  than  death  itself.  He  had  a  firm 
conviction  in  his  mind,  that  he  should  die  from  apo- 
plexy." He  had  frequent  shocks  in  the  epigastrium, 
both  during  the  day  and  during  the  night.  When  he 
threw  away  tobacco  for  ever,  all  his  dreadful  feelings 
'^  vanished  as  if  by  magic."  He  ultimately  became  "  an 
able  and  talented  member  of  the  bar,  in  the  possession 
of  good  health,  spirits,  and  prosperity." 

129.  His  sister,  thirty-nine  years  of  age,  a  married 
lady,  mother  of  two  children,  had  smoked  and  snuffed 
tobacco  for  fifteen  years  —  for  eight  years  haa  those 
peculiar  shocks  at  the  epigastrium,  resembling  those 
produced  by  electricity,  with  a  sinking  sensation  at  tho 
pit  of  the  stomach,  cardialgia,  acid  eructations,  a  sense 
of  rushing  of  blood  to  the  head,  palpitations,  sleeplesi^ 
ness^  and  startings  when  first  falling  into  slumber.    These 


112     tobacco:  its   use  and  abuse. 

increased,  and  then  tenderness  of  the  spine  along  it» 
whole  length,  rigidity  of  the  limbs,  costiveness,  derange- 
ment of  the  catamenia,  &c.  Seeing  the  good  effect  of 
abandoning  the  use  of  tobacco  in  her  brother,  she  made 
the  same  experiment  in  part  herself,  and  with  the  same 
marked  relief  from  many  of  the  symptoms  —  she  ulti- 
mately recovered  a  comfortable  state  of  health.  She  has 
frequently  ventured  upon  a  moderate  use  of  tobacco,  but 
a^er  using  it  a  while,  she  experiences  her  old  feelings, 
and  then  quickly  abandons  it. 

130.  Dr.  Laycock,  Professor  of  the  Practice  of  Physic 
in  the  University  of  Edinburgh,  a  physician  not  less  dis- 
tinguished for  great  erudition  than  for  his  practical  ex- 
perience, and  skill,  and  tact,  in  the  detection  and  treat- 
ment of  disease,  published,  in  the  Medical  Gazette  for 
October  2d,  1846,  a  paper,  so  corroborative  of  my  views 
regarding  tobacco,  as  to  render  an  apology  for  publishing 
the  following  extract  from  it  wholly  unnecessary.  He 
remarks : — 

"  It  is  only  by  personal  observations  made  during  the 
last  two  or  three  years,  that  I  have  become  fully  aware 
of  the  great  changes  induced  in  the  system  by  the  abuse 
of  tobacco,  and  of  the  varied  and  obscure  form  of  dis- 
ease to  which  especially  excessive  smoking  gives  origin ; 
and  I  now  propose  to  state  some  of  the  results  at  which 
I  have  arrived. 

"  The  consequences  of  smoking  tobacco  are  manifested 
in  the  buccal  and  pharyngeal  mucous  membrane  and 
their  diverticula;  qp  the  stomach,  the  lungs,  and  the 
heart,  and  on  the  brain  and  nervous  system.  With 
regard  to  these  consequences,  it  may  be  generally  statec? 


COMMUNICATIONS   AND    EXTRACTS.     113 

here,  that  they  vary  according  to  the  quantity  of  to- 
bacco smoked,  and  according  to  the  pathological  condi- 
tions and  peculiarities  of  the  individual  himself.  Some 
persons  will  smoke  a  very  large  quantity  before  certain 
symptoms  arise,  while  others  experience  these  with  a 
very  small  quantity.  The  amount  consumed  by  habitual 
smokers  varies  from  half  an  ounce  to  twelve  ounces  per 
week.  The  usual  quantity  is  from  two  to  three  ounces. 
Inveterate  cigar  smokers  will  consume  from  four  to  five 
dozen  per  week  of  the  lighter  kind  of  cigars,  as  Manil- 
las, Bengal  cheroots,  etc. 

''  The  first  and  simplest  morbid  result  of  excessive 
smoking,  is  an  inflammatory  condition  of  the  mucous 
membrane  of  the  lip  and  tongue,  and  this  sometimes 
ends  in  a  separation  of  the  epithelium.  Then  the  ton- 
sils and  pharynx  suffer,  the  mucous  membrane  becoming 
dry  and  congested.  If  the  throat  be  examined,  it  will 
be  observed  to  be  slightly  swollen,  with  congested  veins 
meandering  over  the  surface,  and  here  and  there  a  streak 
of  mucus.  Tfie  inflammatory  action  also  extends  up- 
wards into  the  posterior  nares,  and  the  smoker  feels  from 
time  to  time  a  discharge  of  mucus  from  the  upper  part 
of  the  pharynx,  in  consequence  of  the  secretion  from 
the  mucous  membrane  of  the  nares  collecting  within 
them.  Sometimes  the  anterior  nares  suffer,  but  in  this 
case  the  irritation  is  not  marked  by  increased  secretion 
so  much  as  by  tickling  and  itching  within  them.  The 
irritation  will  also  extend  to  the  conjunctiva  (and  I  am 
inclined  to  think  from  the  nares,  and  not  by  the  direct 
application  of  smoke  to  the  eye),  and  the  results  are, 
heat,  slight  redness,  lachrymation,  and  a  peculiar  spas- 
H 


114     tobacco:   its  use  and  abuse. 

modic  action  of  the  orbicularis  muscle  of  the  eye,  expe- 
rienced, together  with  intolerance  of  light,  on  awaking 
from  sleep  in  the  m^orning. 

"  I  think  the  frontal  sinuses  do  not  escape ;  for  I  find 
that  one  of  the  symptoms,  very  constantly  experienced 
after  excessive  smoking,  is  a  heavy,  dull  ache,  precisely 
in  the  region  of  these  sinuses.  But  descending  along 
the  alimentary  canal,  we  come  to  the  stomach,  and  here 
we  find  the  results  to  be,  in  extreme  cases,  the  symptoms 
of  gastritis.  There  is  pain  and  tenderness  on  pressure 
of  the  epigastrium,  anorexia,  nausea  on  taking  food, 
and  a  constant  sensation  of  sickliness,  and  desire  to 
expectorate. 

"  The  action  of  the  heart  and  lungs  is  impaired  by 
the  influence  of  the  narcotic  on  the  nervous  system,  but 
a  morbid  state  of  the  larynx,  trachea,  and  lungs,  results 
from  the  direct  action  of  the  smoke.  The  voice  is  ob- 
served to  be  rendered  hoarser,  and  with  a  deeper  tone; 
sometimes  a  short  cough  results ;  and  in  one  case  that 
came  under  my  notice,  ulceration  of  the  cartilages  of 
the  larynx  was,  I  felt  quite  certain,  a  consequence  of 
excessive  use  of  tobacco.  This  individual  had  originally 
contracted  the  habit  of  smoking  when  a  sailor,  and  it 
had  become  so  inveterate,  that  he  literally  was  never 
without  a  pipe  in  his  mouth  except  when  eating  or 
Bleeping.  If  he  awoke  in  the  night  he  lighted  his  pipe; 
the  moment  he  finished  a  meal  he  did  the  same.  It  is 
only  in  extreme  cases  like  this  that  the  inference  can  be 
fairly  made  as  to  the  morbid  results  of  the  habit,  because 
there  are  so  many  other  causes  of  disease  to  be  estimated 
fct  the  same  time.     This  particular  instance  has^  how- 


COMMUNICATIONS    AND    EXTRACTS.     115 

ever,  during  my  experience,  been  corroborated  by  others 
of  a  like  kind ;  and  I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that 
inflammation  and  ulceration  of  the  larynx  in  men  are 
almost  exclusively  peculiar  to  the  slaves  of  excessive 
tobacco  smoking. 

•  "  Haemoptoe  is  another  morbid  condition  distinctly 
traceable  to  this  habit.  The  patient  experiences  a  slight 
tickling  low  down  in  the  pharynx  or  trachea,  and  hawks 
up  rather  than  coughs  up  a  dark  grumous-looking  blood. 
I  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain  whence  this  comes.  I 
have  known  it  to  flow  out  of  the  patient's  mouth  during 
the  night,  or  to  be  eff'used  shortly  after  lying  down.  It 
is  a  symptom  worthy  especial  notice,  however,  because 
it  gives  great  alarm,  and  may  be  readily  mistaken  for 
pulmonary  haemoptysis,  or  an  expectoration  of  blood. 

"  The  action  of  tobacco  smoking  pn  the  heart,  so  far 
as  I  have  observed,  is  depressing.  *  The  individual  who, 
from  some  peculiarity  of  constitution,  feels  it  in  this 
organ  rather  than  elsewhere,  usually  complains  of  a  pe- 
culiar uneasy  sensation  about  the  left  nipple — a  distress- 
ing feeling — not  amounting  to  faintness,  but  allied  to  it 
In  such  an  example  no  morbid  sound  can  be  detected, 
but  the  action  of  the  heart  is  observed  to  be  feeble,  and 
slightly  irregular  in  rhythm ;  yet  not  always  so  in  the 
same  person.  An  uneasy  feeling  is  also  experienced  in 
or  beneath  the  pectoral  muscles ;  but  oftener,  I  tMnk, 
on  the  right  side  than  on  the  left. 

"  On  the  brain  the  action  of  tobacco  smoking  is  sedar 
tive.  It  appears  to  diminish  the  rapidity  of  cerebral 
action,  and  check  the  flow  of  ideas  through  the  mind. 
This,  I  think,  is  a  certain  result;  and  it  is  in  consequence 


116     tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

of  this  action,  that  smoking  is  so  habitual  with  studious 
men,  or  men  of  contemplative  minds.  The  phrases,  ^  a 
quiet  pipe,^  or  '  a  comfortable  cigar,'  are  significant  of 
this  sedative  action. 

"  There  are  a  few  facts  which  I  would  now  state  gene- 
rally, and  which  appear  as  secondary  results  of  smoking. 
Constipation  and  haemorrhoids  are  often  experienced  by 
inveterate  smokers.  Acne  of  the  face  I  have  observed 
to  be  excited  and  kept  up  by  the  habit,  and  to  disappear 
with  the  discontinuance  of  the  latter.  Blackness  of  the 
teeth  and  gum-boils  are  not  uncommon  results.  There 
is  also  a  sallow  paleness  of  the  complexion,  an  irreso- 
luteness  of  disposition,  a  want  of  life  and  energy,  to  be 
observed  occasionally  in  inveterate  smokers,  who  are 
content  with  smoking ,  that  is  to  say,  who  do  not  drink. 
I  have  suspected  also  that  it  has  induced  pulmonary 
phthisis. 

"  The  nervous  system,  as  I  have  said,  has  peculiarly 
suffered ;  and  thence  have  arisen  obtuseness  in  the  func- 
tions of  the  several  senses,  irritability,  indecision,  and 
loss  of  courage,  or  of  determination  of  action,  weakness 
of  the  muscles  of  voluntary  motion,  and  depravity  of 
the  secretions.  Particularly  have  I  observed  the  buccal 
membrane  (in  smokers)  to  become  vascular,  swollen,  irri- 
table, and  prone  to  haemorrhage.  I  have  never  observed 
an  ^teception  to  the  fact,  that  in  smokers  the  voice  has 
deepened  in  tone  (I  suppose  from  relaxation),  or  become 
hoarse  or  oppressed  through  excessive  mucous  secretion. 
Many  an  irritable  nervous  cough,  without  increased  se- 
cretion from  the  tracheo-bronchial  membrane,  and  many 
a  cough  dependent  upon  increased  secretion,  have  I 


COMMUNICATIONS    AND    EXTRACTS.     117 

known  to  follow  the  frequent  use  of  tobacco  in  smoking. 
I  believe  it  to  be  a  great  antagonist  of  the  functions  of 
the  nervous  system,  especially  in  its  relations  to  the 
organs  of  sense,  of  reproduction,  and  of  digestion.  I 
think  I  have  known  it  to  produce  perfect  atony,  with  all 
its  train  of  consequences.  I  have  known  many  instances 
in  which  I  was  unable  to  prove  that  the  ordinary  use 
of  tobacco  did  any  harm;  I  have  known  many  more  in 
which  I  could  prove  that  it  did  do  harm ;  and  I  have 
not  known  any  good  from  it  that  might  not  have  been 
obtained  from  less  objectionable  means. 

"It  will  be  seen  that  Dr. Wright  corroborates  my  ob- 
servations in  several  particulars;  and  although  I  am  not 
at  all  desirous  that  this  communication  should  be  consi- 
dered as  a  ^  counter-blaste '  to  tobacco,  I  think  the  inve- 
terate habit  of  smoking,  snuffing,  or  chewing  that  drug, 
is  worthy  the  special  notice  of  physicians  and  practi- 
tioners in  medicine  in  general,  as  a  very  frequent  but 
unconsidered  and  unthought-of  cause  of  disease.  I  am 
quite  certain,  indeed,  that  if  the  practitioner  habitually 
direct  his  attention  to  the  subject,  he  will  find  that  many 
obstinate  and  difficult  cases  may  be  elucidated,  by  apply- 
ing and  extending  the  views  detailed  as  well  by  Dr. 
Wright  as  myself. 

"  Gastric  disorders,  coughs,  and  inflammatory  affec- 
tions of  the  larynx  and  the  pharynx,  haemoptoe,  diseases 
of  the  heart,  and  lowness  of  sprits,  are  the  principal  dis- 
eases in  which  the  pathological  results  of  the  habit  are 
to  be  looked  for.  The  color  of  the  teeth,  a  pearly  blue- 
ness  of  the  lips,  a  slight  trembling  of  the  hands,  and  a 
quiet,  passive  expression  of  countenance,  are  the  most 


118      tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

usual  marks  of  the  habit  itself,  and  when  present  in  any 
obstinate  or  anomalous  disease,  whether  of  the  respira- 
tory, circulating,  alimentary,  or  nervous  system,  would 
warrant  a  special  inquiry  as  to  the  habits  of  the  patient 
in  the  use  of  tobacco.  In  all  cases,  the  quantity  of  snuflF 
used,  or  tobacco  smoked,  per  diem  or  per  week,  should 
be  ascertained,  as  patients  are  apt  to  say  they  only  smoke 
a  little ;  meaning,  if  pressed,  that  they  smoke  from  half 
an  ounce  to  an  ounce  of  tobacco  per  diem — and  the  same 
with  snuff." 

131.  The  following  paper,  published  by  the  British 
Anti-Tobacco  Society,  was  written  by  a  physician  of  high 
standing  and  extensive  practice  in  London:  — 

"  The  habit  of  smoking  tobacco  has  given  rise  to  the 
following  ill  effects,  which  have  come  under  my  obser- 
vation in  numerous  instances,  and  that  of  all  the  medical 
men  with  whom  I  am  acquainted.  I  shall  state  the 
bad  effects  of  this  poison  categorically,  premising  that 
chewing  tobacco  is  the  most  injurious,  smoking  not  much 
less  so,  and  snuffing  least,  although  also  most  decidedly 
injurious.  As  smoking  holds  a  middle  position  of  these 
three  injurious  habits,  or  vices,  especially  when  adopted 
by  the  young,  I  shall  therefore  make  it  represent  the 
others. 

*'  1.  Smoking  weakens  the  digestive  and  assimilating 
functions,  impairs  the  due  elaboration  of  the  chyle  and 
of  the  blood,  and  prevents  a  healthy  nutrition  of  the 
several  structures  of  the  body.  Hence  result,  especially 
in  young  persons,  an  arrest  of  the  growth  of  the  body; 
low  stature;  a  pallid  and  sallow  hue  of  the  surface;  an 
insufficient  and  an  unhealthy  supply  of  blood :  weak 


COMMUNICATIONS   AND    EXTRACTS.      119 

bodily  powers ;  and,  in  many  instances,  complete  emas- 
culation, or  inability  of  procreation.  In  persons  more 
advanced  in  life,  these  effects,  although  longer  in 
making  their  appearance,  supervene  at  last,  and  with  a 
celerity  in  proportion  to  the  extent  to  which  this  vile 
habit  is  carried. 

"  2.  Smoking  generates  thirst  and  vital  depression ; 
and  to  remove  these,  the  use  of  stimulating  liquors  is 
resorted  to,  and  often  carried  to  a  most  injurious  extent. 
Thus  two  of  the  most  debasing  habits  and  vices  to  which 
human  nature  can  be  degraded,  are  indulged  in  to  the 
injury  of  the  individual  thus  addicted,  to  the  shortening 
of  his  life,  and  to  the  injury  and  ruin  of  his  offspring, 
if,  indeed,  he  still  retain  his  procreative  powers  —  a  very 
doubtful  result — and  the  more  doubtful  when  both  vices 
are  united  in  one  person. 

^^3.  Smoking  tobacco  weakens  the  nervous  powers; 
favors  a  dreamy,  imaginative,  and  imbecile  state  of  ex- 
istence ;  produces  indolence  and  incapability  of  manly 
or  continued  exertion ;  and  sinks  its  votary  into  a  state 
of  careless  or  maudlin  inactivity  and  selfish  enjoyment 
of  his  vice.  He  ultimately  becomes  partially,  but  gene- 
rally paralyzed  in  mind  and  body — he  is  subject  to 
tremors  and  numerous  nervous  ailments,  and  has  re- 
course to  stimulants  for  their  relief.  These  his  vices 
cannot  abate,  however  indulged  in,  and  he  ultimately 
dies  a  drivelling  idiot,  an  imbecile  paralytic,  or  a  suf- 
ferer from  internal  organic  disease,  at  an  age  many  years 
short  of  the  average  duration  of  life.  These  results  are 
not  always  prevented  by  relinquishing  the  habit,  after  a 
long  continuance  or  a  very  early  adoption  of  it.     These 


120      tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

injurious  effects  often  do  not  appear  until  very  late  in 
life. 

*^  4.  The  tobacco  smoker,  especially  if  lie  commences 
tte  habit  early  in  life,  and  carries  it  to  excess,  loses  his 
procreative  powers.  If  he  marry  he  deceives  his  wife, 
'and  disposes  her  to  infidelity,  and  exposes  himself  to 
ignominy  and  scorn.  If,  however,  he  should  have  off- 
spring, they  generally  either  are  cut  off  in  infancy,  or 
never  reach  the  period  of  puberty.  His  wife  is  often 
incapable  6f  having  a  living  child,  or  she  suffers  re- 
peated miscarriages,  owing  to  the  impotence  of  her  hus- 
band. If  he  have  children,  they  are  generally  stunted 
in  growth  or  deformed  in  shape :  are  incapable  of  strug- 
gling through  the  diseases  incidental  to  children,  and 
die  prematurely.  And  thus  the  vices  of  the  parent  Ae 
visited  upon  the  children,  even  before  they  reach  the 
second  or  third  generation.  I  have  constantly  observed, 
that  the  children  of  habitual  smokers  are,  with  very  few 
exceptions,  imperfectly  developed  in  form  and  size,  very 
ill  or  plain-looking,  and  delicate  in  constitution.  These 
imperfections  are  most  manifest  in  the  female  offspring, 
for  the  procreative  inability  being  chiefly  in  the  hus- 
band, and  less  in  the  wife,  unless  from  disgust  at  his 
habits,  and  the  female  generally  deriving  the  chief  char- 
acteristics of  form,  feature,  and  constitution,  from  the 
male  parent,  the  female  child  is  more  or  less  the  victim 
of  his  vices  and  debased  habits.  If,  therefore,  ladies 
sufficiently  value  their  own  happiness,  and  the  health 
and  happiness  of  their  families,  or  desire  what  all  desire 
"who  love  their  lords,"  they  ought  not  to  marry 
smikers;  no'  should  they  trust  the  promises  of  reformsi- 


COMMUNICATIONS    AND    EXTRACTS.     121 

tion  which  he  may  make,  as  they  are  very  seldom  kept. 
Persons  who  feel  that  smoking  is  injurious  to  them  in 
any  way  whatever,  or  who  are  desirous  of  having  in- 
structions to  enable  them  to  relinquish  the  habit,  should 
have  recourse  to  the  best  medical  advice  to  enable  them 
to  recover  from  existing  injurious  effects,  and  to  pre- 
vent the  accession  of  others  which  may  supervene  at 
some  future  period,  even  although  the  habit  has  been 
relinquished." 

132.  Professor  Siebert,  of  Jena,  in  his  ^^  Treatise  on 
Diseases  of  the  Belly,"  1855,  gives  the  following  striking 
case: —  ^ 

"Advocate  T ,  in  B ,  a  robust,  muscular,  and 

athletic  man,  was  under  an  affection  of  the  spine  from 
1840  to  1845.  He  had  peculiar  sensations  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  spinal  cord,  which,  according  to  the 
changing  central  seat,  produced  radiating  effects  through- 
out the  system.  When  this  central  point  mounted  up 
to  about  the  seventh  vertebra  of  the  n^ck,  he  expe- 
rienced a  numbness  in  the  forearms  and  hands,  with  a 
sense  of  pressure  in  the  breast,  and  a  short,  broken 
cough.  K  the  pain  was  in  the  upper  part  of  the  spine, 
then  there  were  other  eccentric  symptoms,  such  as  pal- 
pitation of  the  heart.  If  lower  down  in  the  spine,  then 
pain  in  the  stomach,  want  of  appetite,  and  vomiting. 
These  gastric  symptoms  disappeared  when  the  pain 
went  down  towards  the  cauda  equina,  and  then  there 
was  disturbance  in  the  sacral  regions,  cramp  in  the 
sphincter  ani,  nightly  pollutions,  sickly  appearance,  and 
hypochondriacal  voice.  When  the  entire  spine  wa» 
affected,  there  were  disturbances  in  the  lower  extren*- 


122   tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

ties;  not  properly  palsy,  but  devious  movements,  and 
difficulty  in  standing  steadily  or  moving  directly,  so  that 
he  could  not  easily  get  over  a  stone  —  an  effort  causing 
him  anxiety;  and  he  was  obliged  often  to  hold  by  the 
wall  through  giddiness.  Sometimes,  when  the  pain 
went  into  the  left  hemisphere  of  the  brain,  the  patient 
saw  objects  double.  Various  remedies  were  tried,  pre- 
parations of  iron,  etc.,  but  without  effect.  The  patient 
was  a  smoker;  and  Professor  Siebert  discovered  that  he 
was  uniformly  worse  after  smoking  cigars.  With  much 
difficulty  the  doctor  got  him  to  abstain  from  this  prac- 
tice for  a  short  time,  ^  a  trial ;  and  the  consequence 
was  a  relief  from  the  symptoms  of  which  he  had  so  long 
complained.  He  got  gradually  better,  and  ultimately 
regained  his  health.  Subsequently,  the  professor  met 
his  patient  in  the  inn   called   the  Three  Crowns,  in 

B ;  when,  in  the  midst  of  their  enjoyment  and 

conversation,  the  latter,  with  somewhat  of  a  pitiful  look, 
inquired  of  his  doctor  if  he  might  once  again  enjoy  the 
luxury  of  a  cigar.  The  doctor  forbade ;  but  the  advo- 
cate insisted,  and  took  his  own  way.  After  the  second 
cigar,  he  became  pale,  speechless,  and  hollow-eyed,  left 
his  seat  and  went  out.  The  doctor  followed  him,  and 
heard  him  confess  that  he  felt  come  upon  him  the  whole 
symptoins  of  his  former  disease.  He  was  again  treated 
with  medicine ;  and,  having  recourse  to  no  more  cigars, 
he  was  again  restored  to  health  —  a  clear  proof,  as  the 
professor  says,  that  the  tobacco  was  the  cause  of  his 
ftilmcnt." 

133.  I  was  consulted  lately  by  the  father  of  a  young 
barrister,  who  was  ruining  his  prospects  by  smoking  to- 


COMMUNICAIIONS   AND    EXTRACTS.      123 

bacco.  The  father  writes  that  his  son  is  smoking  to- 
bacco night  and  day,  converting  day  into  night,  and 
having  no  appetite :  as  for  his  legal  studies,  they  have 
fled  for  ever. 

134.  Mr.  Turton,  in  an  interesting  communication  on 
the  evil  effects  of  tobacco  smoking,  as  read  before  the 
Royal  Medical  Society,  on  20th  February,  1857,  says : 

"  I  will  adduce  another  instance  of  the  evil  effects 
of  excessive  smoking  on  the  nervous  system,  as  affecting 
the  procreative  powers — I  allude  to  the  case  of  an  emi- 
nent author  in  the  literary  world,  of  the  highest  graphic 
historical  writing,  who  from  his  earliest  manhood  has 
daily  handled  the  quill,  and  between  whose  lips  cigar 
has  followed  cigar  in  endless  succession.  He  married 
when  young ;  and  although  not  yet  sixty  years  of  age, 
and  of  rather  abstemious  habits,  it  is  well  known  that, 
for  upwards  of  the  last  twenty  years  —  such  have  been 
the  effects  of  mental  excitement  from  intense  study,  and 
of  cerebral  affection  and  influence  on  the  sensorial  nerves 
from  excessive  and  persistent  tobacco  smoking — all  mari- 
tal connection  between  his  wife  and  him  has  been  sus- 
pended ;  that  the  poor  woman  might  have  been,  during 
that  period,  as  well  banished  or  divorced,  she  has  been 
go  wholly  deprived  of  her  lawful  pleasures." 

"  Professor  Millar,"  says  Mr.  Turton,  "  mentioned  on 
Wednesday,  18th  February,  1857,  to  the  gentlemen  of 
his  class,  an  interesting  case  of  a  gentleman  about  thirty- 
five  years  of  age,  who  is  suffering  from  paraplegia, 
caused  by  tobacco  smoking.  When  this  gentleman  dis- 
continued smoking  for  a  few  days,  a  marked  improve- 
ment of  the  symptoms  supervened ;  but  the  moment  he 


124     tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

resumes  lis  evil  habit,  the  attack  comes  on  as  severe  as 
ever." 

Will  he  be  able  to  do  so  always  ?  Will  not  organic 
disease  ultimately  follow  such  attacks  of  functional  dis- 
order ? 

135.  I  am  informed  by  a  gentleman,  whose  name  I 
am  not  at  liberty  to  mention,  that  a  popular  writer  of 
the  present  day  married  a  lady,  and  that  immediately 
after  his  marriage  he  proposed  serrate  beds,  which  was 
agreed  to.  But  on  the  young  bride  telling  her  situation 
to  her  mother,  the  latter  investigated  the  condition  of 
the  two  partners,  and  learned  that  the  husband  was  im- 
potent; he,  in  short,  had  long  been  an  inveterate  smoker. 
A  separation  and  divorce  were  immediately  obtained, 
and  the  lady  was  married  to  Mr.  J.  M.  After  the  ordi- 
nary time  she  became  a  mother. 

136.  Extracts  from  Dr.  Budgett's  instructive  paper, 
on  "  The  Tobacco  Question,  Morally,  Socially,  and  Phy- 
sically Considered :"  1857.  Dr.  Budgett  remarks :  '^  Two 
hundred  and  sixty  years  ago,  tobacco  smoking  was  de- 
scribed as  ^a  branch  of  the  sin  of  drunkenness;'  but 
during  the  last  ten  or  fifteen  years,  the  consumption  of 
the  weed  has  so  increased,  especially  amongst  young 
people,  that  we  cannot  even  yet  comprehend  its  influ- 
ence or  result. 

"  Still,  the  habits  and  manners  of  a  country  stamp  its 
identity;  and  if  a  New  Zealander,  or  any  manly  repre- 
sentative of  any  of  our  many  conquered  countries,  which 
we  call  colonies,  could  place  himself  in  London,  Man- 
chester, or  any  of  our  large  cities,  and  ask  to  be  shown 
th*  youth  of  our  present  time,  the  fathers  of  the  next 


COMMUNICATIONS    AND    EXTHACTS.    125 

generation,  he  would  look  in  vain  for  the  strength  of 
limb,  the  Saxon  energy,  the  mens  sana  in  corpore  sane 
which  has  carried  us  successfully  in  every  land, 

*'  If  some  old  warrior  read  this,  perchance  he  may 
emile  with  contempt;  but,  before  he  does  so,  I  would 
recommend  him  to  take  his  stand  at  nine  in  the  morn- 
ing in  any  thoroughfare  leading  to  London ;  scan  care- 
fully the  thin,  pale  faces  on  every  omnibus ;  measure  in 
his  mind's  eye  the  narrow  shoulders,  the  shuffling  walk 
of  the  great  majority  of  pedestrians;  and  then  let  him 
tell  me  if  he  can  recognize  any  of  the  manly  elements 
which  were,  in  his  early  day,  the  pride  and  glory  of  his 
country.  No !  Tobacco  meets  us  at  every  corner :  it 
smokes  on  every  omnibus,  like  the  reeking  of  a  dung- 
hill; puppies,  in  the  guise  of  officers  and  disguise  of 
gentlemen,  puff  their  impertinence  into  ladies'  faces, 
who  may  be  unprotected  in  the  streets ;  tailors'  clerks 
and  shopboys,  taking  advantage  (query!)  of  the  early 
closing  movement,  light  their  cigars  as  they  draw  on 
their  gloves  for  an  evening's  ramble;  and  little  boys, 
from  the  costermonger  to  the  crossing-sweeper,  form 
smoking-clubs  of  from  three  to  twelve,  passing  their 
one  pipe  from  mouth  to  mouth,  in  the  secluded  nooks 
of  every  alley,  from  the  railway  arch  to  the  mythical 
arcana  of  the  Adelphi.  It  is  here  that  vice  grows  strong 
in  company,  and  here  the  little  boy  receives  his  first 
practical  instruction  in  larceny  from  his  more  advanced 
confederates ;  around  the  pipe,  young  pickpockets  hold 
their  parliament. 

That  this  is  so,  no  one  can  deny.    It  is  a  grave  and 
20 


126     tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

important  subject  for  any  legislature  to  consider,  which 
looks  beyond  the  accepted  rule  of  expediency. 

^^  The  medical  profession  in  France  bear  similar  testi- 
mony; for  the  *  Dictionnaire  des  Sciences  Medicales' — 
a  work  of  which  it  would  be  high  treason  in  Paris  to 
aoubt  the  authenticity  —  after  detailing  at  length  the 
effects  of  tobacco  amongst  the  workmen  employed  in  the 
government  factories  (for  in  France  it  is  a  monopoly  of 
the  State),  goes  on  to  say :  "  The  abuse  of  tobacco  is  the 
same  as  of  all  other  pleasures  of  excitement,  whether 
excesses  of  various  kinds,  strong  liquors,  and  so  forth 
(comme  de  celui  de  toutes  Us  jouissances  par  irritation, 
comme  de  la  masturbation,  de  Vahus  des  femmesy  des 
Jliqueurs  fortes,  &c.),  and  that  it  is  astonishing  that  more 
numerous  evils  are  not  the  result/  Again :  '■  Parents 
cannot  too  much  oppose  the  fearful  custom  of  using  to- 
bacco; often  they  allow  it  to  begin  with  a  culpable 
facility,  and  they  do  not  appear  to  foresee  all  the  evils  to 
which  they  deliver  the  youth  whom  they  permit  to  con- 
tract this  baneful  habit;  often  thoughtlessly  recommended 
for  some  trifliag  ailment,  the  use  of  it  is  continued  for 
the  remainder  of  his  days/ 

"  The  Queen's  Tobacco  Pipe. — We  have  seen  pipes 
of  all  sorts  and  sizes  in  our  time.  In  Germany,  where 
the  finest  cnaster  is  but  twenty  pence  a  pound,  and  ex- 
cellent leaf  tobacco  only  five  pence,  we  have  seen  pipes 
that  resembled  actual  furnaces,  compared  with  the 
general  race  of  pipes,  and  have  known  a  man  smoke  out 
half  a  pound  of  cnaster,  and  drink  a  gallon  of  beer  at  a 
sitting.  But  this  is  perfectly  pigmy  work  when  com 
pared  with  the  royal   pipe   and   consumptive  tobacco 


COMMUNICATIONS  AND    EXTRACTS.     127 

power  of  Victoria  of  England.  The  Queen's  pipe  is^ 
beyond  all  controversy  —  for  we  have  seen  it — equal  to 
any  other  thousand  pipes  that  can  be  produced  from  the 
pipial  stores  of  this  smoking  world.  She  has  not  only 
an  attendant  to  present  it  whenever  she  may  call  for  it, 
but  his  orders  are  to  have  it  always  in  the  most  admi- 
rable smoking  state  —  always  lighted,  without  regard  to 
the  quantity  of  tobacco  it  may  consume ;  and,  accord- 
ingly, her  pipe  is  constantly  kept  smoking,  day  and 
night,  without  a  moment's  intermission ;  and  there  are, 
besides  the  grand  pipe-master,  a  number  of  attendants 
incessantly  employed  in  seeking  the  most  suitable  to- 
bacco, and  bringing  it  to  the  grand-master.  There  is  no 
species  of  tobacco  which  the  Queen  has  not  in  her  store 
room.  Shag,  Pigtail^  Cavendish,  Manilla,  Havana, 
Cigars,  Cheroots,  Negrohead,  every  possible  species  of 
nicotian  she  gives  a  trial  to,  by  way  of  variety.  A  single 
cigar  she  holds  in  as  much  contempt  as  a  lion  would  a 
fly  by  way  of  mouthful.  We  have  seen  her  grand-master 
drop  whole  handfuls  of  Havanas  at  once  into  her  pipe, 
and  after  them  as  many  Cubas. 

"  It  may  abate  the  wonder  of  the  reader  at  this  stu- 
pendous smoking  power  of  the  Queen,  when  we  admit, 
as  must  indeed  have  become  apparent  in  the  course  of 
our  remarks,  that  the  Queen  performs  her  smoking  as 
she  does  many  of  her  other  royal  acts,  by  the  hands  of 
her  servants.  In  truth,  to  speak  candidly,  the  Queen 
never  smokes  at  all,  except  through  her  servants.  And 
this  will  appear  very  likely,  when  we  describe  the  actual 
size  of  her  royal  pipe.  It  is,  indeed,  of  most  imperial 
dimensions.     The  head  alone  is  so  laree,  that  while  its 


128   tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

heel  rests  on  the  floor  of  her  cellar,  its  top  reaches  out 
of  the  roof.  We  speak  a  literal  fact,  as  any  one  who 
procures  an  order  for  the  purpose  may  convince  himself 
by  actual  inspection.  We  are  sure  that  the  quantity  of 
tobacco  which  is  required  to  supply  it  must  amount  to 
some  tons  in  the  year.  Nay,  so  considerable  is  it,  that 
ships  are  employed  specially  to  bring  over  this  tobacco, 
and  these  ships  have  a  dock  of  one  acre  in  extent  at  the 
port  of  London,  entirely  for  their  exclusive  reception. 
In  a  word,  the  Queen's  tobacco-pipe,  its  dimensions,  its 
attendance,  its  supply,  and  consumption  of  tobacco,  are 
without  any  parallel  in  any  age  or  nation." 

Dr.  Budgett  adds  :  "  The  great  Tobacco  Warehouse  is 
called  the  Queen's  Warehouse,  because  it  is  rented  by 
Government  for  £14,000  a  year.  This  warehouse  has 
no  equal  in  any  other  part  of  the  world.  It  is  five  acres 
in  extent.'' 

137.  The  following  extract  is  from  an  article  which 
appeared  in  the  178th  number  of  "  Cassell's  Illustrated 
Family  Paper,"  page  163.  The  statistics  may  be  relied 
on,  seeing  that  they  are  derived  from  various  authentic 
sources,  such  as  Ihe  writings  of  Husson,  De  Wateville, 
Soy,  and  other  contributions  by  able  authors,  which  will 
be  found  in  the  "Annuaire  de  TEconomie  Politique,"  as 
well  as  obtained  from  official  documents.  If  the  report 
respecting  the  Emperor  be  true,  his  example  affords 
another  of  the  many  melancholy  proofs,  which  history 
supplies,  of  the  prostration  of  power  and  trust,  to  the 
fallacious  machinations  of  expediency — expediency  which 
upsets  that  righteous  administration  for  upholding  which 
Kings  are  ordained  to  rule,  and  Princes  to  decree  justice. 


COMMUNICATIONS    AND    EXTRACTS.     129 

It  confirms  the  unexceptional  truth  of  the  maxim,  "  that 
the  love  of  money  is  the  root  of  all  evil."  The  advice 
of  the  sordid  father  to  his  son  is  not  confined  to  private 
life,  but  extends  to  all  ranks — the  prince  and  the  peasant 
alike  —  and  is  found  in  every  age  and  country.  "Make 
money,  make  money,  my  son,  honestly  if  you  can ;  but 
above  all,  he  sure  to  make  monei/,  he  the  consequences 
what  they  mayJ'  Where  the  greater  power  of  doing 
mischief  is  VCTted,  there  is  the  greater  need  to  demand 
responsible  action.  The  prostitution  of  a  nation's  morals 
and  health,  for  the  sake  of  revenue,  is  an  outrage  to 
humanity  —  a  curse  to  the  progress  of  civilization.  It 
is  the  destroying  hane  against  which  every  philanthropic 
observer  is  called  upon  to  impress  "on  the  powers  that 
be,"  that  it  is  both  their  duty  and  interest  to  provide  a 
compulsory  antidote,  as  all  other  temporizing  measures 
must  fail. 

"  In  the  year  1854,  Paris  chewed,  snufied,  and  smoked 
8,800,000  pounds  of  tobacco,  for  which  it  paid  17,725,263 
francs.  This  poor  justice  must  be  done  to  the  Parisians 
and  to  the  French  in  general,  that  few  of  them  are 
guilty  of  the  peculiarly  disgusting  American  form  of 
tobacco  vice.  The  quantity  of  the  weed  masticated  is 
to  that  snufi"ed  and  smoked,  as  one  to  sixty-two,  and  has 
not  increased  per  annum  since  1839.  The  habit  of 
taking  snuff  is  on  the  decrease ;  that  of  smoking,  on  the 
contrary,  has  been  of  late  years,  and  still  is,  in  course 
of  wonderful  development.  Formerly  it  was  deemed  an 
essentially  vulgar  practice,  and  was  mainly  confined  to 
the  estaminets ;  from  them  it  spread  to  students'  rooms 
and  artists'  attics,  then  reached  the  clubs,  at  last  invaded 
I 


130         tobacco:    its    use  and   ABtJSE. 

families,  and  ^  the  totality  of  the  street/  and  is  now  d  la 
mode  with  all  classes.  As  you  are  aware,  the  Emperor 
and  Empress  both  smoke.  If  they  had  not  a  taste  for 
tobacco,  they  might  still  indulge  in,  or  rather  subject 
themselves  to  its  use,  by  way  of  setting  an  example, 
which  his  majesty  has  strong  politico-economical  reasons 
for  wishing  to  see  generally  imitated.  Between  1839 
and  1854,  the  consumption  of  tobacco  in  all  France 
nearly  doubled  in  quantity.  "Whatever  may  be  the 
vicious  effect  of  the  noxious  weed  on  the  popular  health, 
this  increased  consumption  helps  to  plump  up  the  gov- 
ernment finances  curiously.  The  manufacture  and  sale 
of  tobacco  is,  as  my  readers  are  aware,  a  State  monopoly; 
but  they  are,  perhaps,  not  aware  of  what  M.  Husson 
assures  us  is  the  fact,  that  it  produces  a  clear  yearly 
profit  {Un^Jice  net,)  of  more  than  100,000,000  of 
francs,  or  one-fifteenth  of  all  the  receipts  of  the  public 
treasury." 

138.  In  the  Lancet  for  14th  March,  1857,  page  250, 
Mr.  Higginbottom  quotes  Sir  David  Brewster's  memoir 
of  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  wherein  he  states : 

^*  He  was  frugal  in  his  diet,  and  in  all  his  habits  tem- 
perate. Whep  he  was  asked  to  take  snufi"  or  tobacco, 
lie  declined,  remarking  ^-that  he  would  make  no  necessi- 
ties to  himself'  — a  remark,"  says  Mr.  Higginbottom, 
"  truly  worthy  of  that  great  jAilosopher  and  Christian." 
My  reasons  for  introducing  the  above  are,  that  in  many 
of  the  letters  in  the  Lancet,  on  the  tobacco  controversy, 
the  name  of  Sir  Isaac  Newton  has  been  brought  forward 
unwarrantably,  by  the  advocates  of  the  innocence  of  to- 
bacco, to  prove  that  that  great  mind  was  uninjured  by 


COMMDNICATIONS    AND    EXTRACTS.     131 

tobacco — a  fact  true  only  in  this  respect,  that  he  never 
subjected  himself  to  its  influence. 

189.  Two  additional  cases,  with  illustrations,  showing 
the  iffects  of  tobacco  smoking  upon  the  palate,  tonsils, 
and  tongue.  These  cases  have  lately  occurred  in  the 
course  of  my  own  private  practice. 

T R ,  twenty-six  years   of  age,  a   strong, 

brawny  carter,  who  had  smoked  half-an-ounce  or  more 
of  tobacco  daily,  for  five  years,  complained  of  dyspep- 
sia, hypochondriasis,  and  impotency.  The  velum  palati 
and  tonsils  exhibit  the  dark  livid  red  and  velvety  ap- 
pearance so  characteristically  described  by  Mr.  Solly  in 
the  Lancet  of  14th  February,  1857,  an  extract  of  which 
will  be  found  at  page  85.  The  tongue  is  loaded  with  a 
greenish-white  fur.  It  is  to  this  condition  of  the  palate 
and  tongue  which  Mr.  Solly  directs  the  attention  of  me- 
dical examiners  of  insurance  offices. 

140.  Case  of  colloid  cancer  on  the  tongue,  drawn  up 
by  Mr.  Turton. 

u  ^ ^ ^  ggt.  thirty-two,  a  printer  by  trade, 

residing  in  ,  says  tie  did  not  begin  to  smoke  or 

drink  till  he  was  twenty  years  old.  Whenever  he  drank, 
he  always  smoked  a  very  great  deal ;  in  fact,  he  says, 
the  pipe  was  seldom  or  never  out  of  his  mouth.  About 
twelve  months  ago,  he  first  noticed  an  ulcer  on  his 
tongue,  near  its  centre;  notwithstanding,  he  kept  on 
smoking  and  drinking  to  a  very  great  extent — the  ulcer 
continuing  rapidly  to  spread  at  that  time.  He  was  tbfen 
seen  by  some  medical  gentlemen,  who  touched  the  ulcer 
with  caustic.  A  band  of  matter  resembling  curd  came 
out,  and  left  a  hole.     The  patient,  though,  this  ulcer 


132     tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

greatly  annoyed  him,  and  was  gradually  extending,  waa 
not  deterred  from  smoking  and  drinking,  till  two  months 
ago,  when  he  was  obliged  to  desist,  in  consequence  of 
the  pain  becoming  excruciating  when  he  put  a  pipe  be- 
tween his  lips.  He  then  began  to  notice  notches,  as  he 
says,  on  either  side  of  his  tongue.  Such  was  his  state 
when  I  saw  him  on  Sunday  week.  His  articulation,  as 
you  may  imagine,  was  not  very  distinct.  The  mucous 
membrane  of  the  cheeks  and  fauces  are  in  accordance 
with  the  description  of  Mr.  Solly,  who  says  '  he  can 
always  detect  a  smoker  by  examining  his  fauces;  for 
they  assume  a  velvety-red  appearance,  and  by  the  con- 
gested state  of  the  mucous  membrane.^  The  pain  from 
the  tongue  causes  him  many  a  sleepless  night,  and  his 
headaches  are  excruciating;  the  pain  in  his  throat,  he 
•says,  is  greatest.  While  lying  in  bed,  he  sometimes 
feels  as  if  he  was  suffocating. '' 

141.  The  following  extracts  from  the  article  Tobacco, 
contained  in  the  "  Dictionnaire  des  Sciences  MMicales," 
pp.  190,  191-195,  196,  are  so  confirmatory  of  the  opi- 
nion which  I  had  formed  respecfing  the  injurious  effects 
of  tobacco  on  the  animal  organs  and  functions,  that  I 
cannot  refrain  to  append  them.  That  voluminous  and 
valuable  work*  was  compiled  by  the  most  learned  and 
experienced  physicians  and  surgeons  in  France. 

'^  La  preparation  des  tabacs  exige  un  grand  nombre 
d'ouvriers,  et  les  Emanations  de  cette  plante  sent  si  fortes 
et  fl  malfaisantes  qu'elles  causent  beaucoup  d'incommo- 
dites  k  ceux  qui  s'occupent  de  ce  travail ;  ils  sont  en 

*  Dictionnaire  des  Sciences  M6dicales,  par  un  Society  de  M6dicing 
et  de  Chirurgiens.     Paris,  1821. 


COMMUNICATIONS    AND    EXTRACTS.     133 

g^n^ral  maigres,  d^color^s,  jaunes,  asthmatiques,  sujeta 
aux  coliques,  au  devoiement,  au  flux  de  sang,  mais  sur« 
tout  au  vertige,  h  la  cephalalgie,  au  tremblement  muscu- 
laire,  h  un  veritable  narcotisine,  et  aux  maladies  plus  ou 
moins  aigues  de  la  poitrine,  comme  j'ai  eu  I'occasion  de 
Tobserver,  sois  dans  les  hopitaux  de  Paris,  ou  ces  ouv- 
riers  se  voient  frequemment,  soit  dans  les  manufactures 
de  tabac.  Je  poss^de  dans  mon  recueil  d'observations 
cliniques,  plusieurs  faits  curieux  en  ce  genre  que  j'aurais 
consignes  ici  sans  la  crainte  d'etre  tros  long.  Ainsi,  une 
substance  aussi  inutile  cause  des  maux  sans  nombre,  et 
la  mort  m§me  k  ceux  charges  de  preparer  aux  autres  la 
plus  insignificante  des  jouissances/^ 

"Les  ouvriers,  occupes  ordinairement  au  tabac,  dit 
Ramazzini,  y  gagnent  des  douleurs  de  tete  violentes,  dea 
vertiges,  des  nausees,  et  des  ^ternuemens  continuels.  II 
s'^leve  en  effet  dans  cette  operation  une  si  grande  quan- 
tite  de  parties  sub  tiles,  surtout  en  ete,  que  tous  les  voi-' 
sins  en  sont  incommodes,  et  se  plaignent  d'envies  de 
vomir.  Les  chevaux,  occupes  h  tourner  la  meule  (qui 
rape  la  tabac),  temoignent  I'acrete  nuisible  de  cette 
poussiere  qui  voltige,  en  agitant  frequemment  la  tete,  en 
toussant  .et  soufflant  par  les  naseaux.  Les  ouvriers  en 
tabac,  ajoute-t-il  plus  loin,  sont  en  general  sans  appetit. 
(Ramazzini  3Ial  des  Artisans,  traduction  de  Fourcroy, 
p.  189).  Ce  passage  indique  la  n^cessite  de  transporter 
les  ateliers  ou  Ton  fabrique  le  tabac  bors  des  villes  h 
cause  des  incommodites  dont  ils  peuyent  etre  I'origine  : 
c'est  ce  qui  a  lieu  je  crois,  partout  en  France  mainte 
nant;  nous  devons  pourtant  ajouter  que  Ton  finit  sinon 
par  s'habituer  k  ces  Emanations  nuisibles,  du  moins  pat 


134     tobacco:  its   use  and  abuse. 

y  etre  moins  impressionables,  car  les  ouvriers  un  pen 
anciens  n'en  sont  presque  plus  tourmentes  ?  Fourcroy, 
dans  une  note  de  la  traduction  citee,  indique  les  ouvriera 
de  la  ferme  de  Cette  en  Languedoc  pour  ne  s'en  trouver 
aucunement  incommodes." 

"  II  en  est  de  Tabus  de  tabac  comme  de  celui  de 
toutes  les  jouissances  par  irritation,  comme  de  la  mas- 
turbation, de  Tabus  des  femmes,  des  liqueurs  fortes,  etc. 
Et  Ton  doit  encore  etre  6tonn4  de  ne  pas  lui  voir  causer 
des  accidens  plus  nombreux." 

"Les  parens  ne  sauraient  done  trop  s'opposer  k  la 
funeste  habitude  d'user  de  tabac :  souvent  on  la  laisse 
prendre  avec  un  facilite  blamable,  et  Ton  semble  ne  paa 
prevoir  tous  les  maux,  tous  les  chagrins  auxquels  on 
livre  la  jeunesse  k  qui  on  laisse  contracter  cette  coutume 
vicieuse :  conseille  souvent  avec  leg^rete  pour  un  coryza 
ou  des  douleurs  passag^res  de  t§te,  on  continue  ensuite 
d'en  prendre  le  restant  de  ses  jours." 

"  Les  inconveniens  et  les  dangers  attaches  k  Tusage 
du  tabac  ont  et4  si  ^videns  d^s  Torigine  de  Tintroduc- 
tion  de  cette  plants  en  Europe,  que  des  souverains  ont 
cherche  k  s'opposer  k  son  emploi.  Amurat,  empereur 
des  Turcs,  le  grand-due  de  Moscovie,  le  roi  de  Perse,  en 
defendirent  Tusage  k  leurs  sujets  sous  peine  de  la  vie  ou 
d'avoir  le  nez  coup6.  Jaques  Stuart,  roi  d'Angleterre, 
a  fait  un  traite  sur  les  inconveniens  du  tabac.  II  y  a 
un  bulle  d'Urbain  VIII.  par  laquelle  il  excommunie 
ceux  qui  prennent  du  tabac  dans  les  ^glises ;  enfin  les 
eavans  divis^rent  beaucoup  au  sujet  de  ce  v^g^tal  et  en 
blamerent  Temploi." 

142.  I  have  received  several  communications  from 


COMMUNICATIONS  AND    EXTRACTS.     135 

professional  friends,  strongly  indicating  the  strength  and 
extent  of  medical  testimony  against  the  use  of  the  poi- 
sonous weed,  and  out  of  these  I  have  selected  one  sent 
to  me  by  a  physician,  who  has  long  enjoyed  extensive 
opportunities  of  witnessing  the  very  prejudicial  effects 
which  tobacco  smoking  exercises  on  the  digestive  organs. 
*'  In  the  coarse  of  my  professional  experience,"  he  writes 
me,  "  two  or  three  cases  of  decided  carcinoma  of  the 
under-lip,  all  of  which  terminated  fatally,  have  come 
under  my  care,  and  which  could  be  unmistakeably  traced 
to  a  sore,  occasioned  by  a  burn  from  a  hot  cutty-pipe. 
But  I  have  had  ample  opportunities  of  observing  the 
evil  effects  which  tobacco-smoking  produces  on  the 
health  of  the  working-classes,  and  particularly  how  it 
operates  by  disordering  the  organs  of  digestion,  in  occa- 
sioning very  bad  forms  of  dyspepsia.  Several  inveterate 
smokers  have  been  committed  to  my  charge,  on  whom 
every  species  of  persuasion,  from  remonstrance  on  the 
part  of  their  relations,  to  admonition  on  that  of  their 
clergymen,  had  been  used  in  vain,  to  induce  them  to 
relinquish  the  habit  of  smoking,  to  which  they  had  been 
long  unhappily  addicted.  They  had  the  sallow,  sickly 
look  of  individuals  in  bad  health,  were  attenuated  in 
body,  and  labored  under  anorexia,  painful  digestion,  and 
an  irritable  state  of  the  nervous  system,  harassing  to 
their  own  feelings,  and  most  distressing  to  those  of  their 
family.  Although  they  had  resisted  every  argument 
and  advice  tendered  by  unprofessional  parties,  I  have 
never  failed  to  succeed  in  making  the  most  obstinate 
smoker  a  convert  to  my  opinion,  upon  reasoning  with 
him  upon  the  subject^  and  showing  the  modus  operandi 


136   tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

of  tobacco,  in  affecting  his  health  and  happiness,  by  its 
baneful  influence  on  the  process  of  digestion.  And  1 
can  revert  with  much  satisfaction  to  the  grateful  ex- 
pressions I  have  received  from  many  such  patients  on 
restoration  to  health,  after  following  my  recommendation 
Ho  give  up  the  use. of  tobacco/  as  you  have  expressed 
it,  ^  for  ever.' " 

143.  The  following  observations  of  the  learned  author 
of  the  Zoonomia,  accord  with  the  medical  opinions  which 
I  have  adduced  regarding  the  injurious  effects  of  tobacco 
on  the  digestive  organs  :  — 

Darwin,  in  his  Zoonomia,  vol.  ii.,  page  701,  thus  ob- 
serves :  "  The  unwise  custom  of  chewing  and  smoking 
tobacco  for  many  hours  in  a  day,  not  only  injures  the 
salivary  glands,  producing  dryness  in  the  mouth  when 
this  drug  is  used,  but  I  suspect  that  it  also  produces 
scirrhus  in  the  pancreas.  The  use  of  tobacco  in  this 
immoderate  degree  injures  the  powers  of  digestion,  by 
occasioning  the  patient  to  spit  out  that  saliva  which  he 
ought  to  swallow;  and  hence  produces  that  flatulency 
which  the  vulgar  unfortunately  take  it  to  prevent." 

At  page  80  of  the  same  volume,  he  says :  "  I  saw 
what  I  conjectured  to  be  a  tumor  of  the  pancreas  with 
indigestion,  and  which  terminated  in  the  death  of  the 
patient.  He  had  been  for  many  years  a  great  consumer 
of  tobacco,  in  so  much,  that  he  chewed  that  noxious  drug 
all  the  morning,  and  smoked  it  all  the  afternoon." 

144.  The  following  extract  is  from  the  Medical  Times 
and  Gazette  of  11th  December,  1858  :  — 

"To  the  Editor  of  the  Medical  Times  and  Gazette— 
Sir,  I  enclose  a  copy  of  a  circular,  which  I  have  found 


COMMUNICATIONS  AKD    EXTRACTS.     137 

it  necessary  to  issue,  as  a  caution  to  the  ofl&cers  of  thia 
department.  I  have  seen  several,  and  heard  of  more 
such  cases  occurring  among  the  general  public,  few  of 
whom  are  aware  of  the  '  causa  tanti  mali! 

"  ^  Caution.  —  The  Medical  Oflficer  cautions  the  men 
against  the  practice  of  smoking  short  pipes  —  more  par- 
ticularly those,  however,  under  the  name  of  ^Meer- 
Bchaum-washed  pipes.'  Several  cases  of  diseases  of  the 
throat,  gums,  and  stomach  have  recently  occurred,  trace- 
able to  this  cause.  The  Meerschaum-washed  pipes  are 
frequently,  if  not  always,  prepared  with  powerful  mine- 
ral acids ;  and  the  narcotic  oils  inhaled  through  them, 
exert  a  more  than  ordinarily  pernicious  influence  on  the 
health.'  Waller  Lewis,  M.  B.  Cantab., 

"  Medical  Officer  to  Her  Majesty's  Post  Office. 

«4^^  i>ecem6er,  1858." 

145.  I  have  brought  forward,  I  trust,  evidence  suffi- 
cient to  convince  the  most  skeptical,  that  tobacco  is  a 
most  deleterious  drug,  whether  used  in  the  form  of 
smoke,  snuflF,  or  quid — all  of  which  modes  of  administra- 
tion, the  public,  and  what  is  more  surprising,  the  medical 
profession,  seem  hitherto  to  have  regarded  with  most 
unaccountable  nonchalance. 

The  authorities  which  I  have  adduced,  condemning 
tobacco  smoking,  must  be  allowed,  by  every  unprejudiced 
mind,  greatly  to  outweigh,  in  real  value,  all  those  brought 
forward  in  favor  of  it,  not  a  few  of  the  latter  writings 
having  been  got  up  from  more  than  questionable  motives. 


138   tobacco:  its  use  and  abuse. 

Since  the  publication  of  my  third  edition,  I  have  re- 
ceived accounts  of  not  a  few  cases,  and  have  had  undel 
my  own  treatment,  several  examples  of  ulceration  of  the 
lips,  tongue,  soft  and  hard  palate,  and  of  the  mucous 
membrane  of  the  cheek  —  some  of  these  being  purely 
carcinomatous  and  incurable :  and  all  of  which  occurred 
in  individuals  greatly  addicted  to  smoking  tobacco.  The 
number  of  patients  frequenting  my  surgery  in  the  morn- 
ings is  upwards  of  2000  annually,  and  these  afford  me 
an  extensive  field  of  surgical  observation  in  eveiy  de- 
partment. It  would  appear  that  the  cigar,  or  pipe,  first 
produces  a  small  blister  of  the  mucous  membrane  of  the 
mouth,  which,  being  daily  irritated  by  tie  pungent  weed, 
progressively  ulcerates  and  becomes  cancerous.  I  am 
decidedly  of  opinion,  that  a  cigar  or  pipe,  impregnated 
with  this  cancerous  fluid,  is  a  ready  medium  to  commu- 
nicate the  disease  to  another  person  who  uses  the  same 
cigar  or  pipe. 


THB    BND. 


This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last 
date  stamped  below 


NOV  3  0  1951 

NOV  4  1952 
APR  9     195 

WAY  1  8  195^ 
biOMED 

FFR  0  1 1 


BlOMEft 


mm 


JAN  0  5  RECT) 


3m-6,'50(550)470 


IB. 


1158  00177  2333 


